The Challenge Of Lady Kitsune
by Bill K
Summary: A foe from Minako's past seems to have returned to menace both Queen Serenity and her daughter, Princess Usa.
1. Sober Times

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 1: "Sober Times"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Moon and all related characters are (c)2010 by Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha and Toei Animation and are used without permission, but with respect. Story is (c)2010 by Bill K.

* * *

It was that agonizing time of every day where mere minutes lay between now and that brilliant beckoning future when class would be dismissed for the day. The signs were there. Ves could be seen tensed in front of her work station, her eyes riveted to the chronometer in the bottom right of the screen. Cere had gone so far as to make a holographic display of the clock. That got Palla-Palla's mind wandering and she was lost for good now.

And it was difficult for Usa, Hotaru and Jun to follow the lecture on three dimensional vector geometry when the teacher's eyes kept darting between the subject prompt on her lectern and the chronometer they all knew was at the bottom of her screen. The fact that today's teacher was Minako Aino made the observed behavior hardly surprising, but no less difficult to follow.

"So a compensation ratio of minus thirty-three degrees will allow the craft to ease back into a safe, um," Minako faltered as she tried to divide her attention, "a safe, um, path."

"Flight course?" Hotaru suggested cautiously.

"Right! That!" Minako pointed. "OK, end of class! Thanks for your participation, ladies!"

"Ay, I thought that would never end!" gasped Ves. She and Cere bolted from their seats, folding up their work stations in one practiced motion.

"Whoa, hold it!" Minako proclaimed. "Don't all stampede just yet! There's still the matter of homework."

Ves and Cere groaned as one. Even Hotaru and Palla-Palla joined in.

"Your assignment tonight," Minako said, pausing for dramatic effect. Then she smiled wickedly. "Is to have fun."

"Huh?" Jun gaped.

"Free night," Minako explained. "You've all earned it. Just don't destroy anything valuable. And don't incapacitate yourselves, because you've all got attack training tomorrow at nine." The happy exclamation from Ves rattled the walls of the room. They were still vibrating as the party of students moved into the corridor.

"How about we go out tonight?" Ves suggested as the six girls moved down the corridor from Classroom One to the living quarters. "Hit the clubs. Hear some music. Get lucky?"

"Are YOU choosing the club?" Cere sniffed.

"What's wrong with that?" Ves arched.

"Because I'm not going to one of the dives you like!" Cere shot back. "I'd probably get molested."

"Fine, you pick the club," Ves scowled. "I just want to have fun. You in Jun?"

"No," Jun replied. "I'd rather just take a spin on my hover bike."

"Why don't you marry that hover bike," sneered Ves.

"Can Palla-Palla come?"

"Um," Cere began anxiously.

"I don't think you'd like it," Ves told her. "Besides, you always conk out by nine anyway."

"DO NOT!" Palla-Palla answered, her lower lip protruding.

"How about I take you for a spin on my bike?" Jun suggested. Palla-Palla nodded.

"Maybe Yutaka and I will see you there," Hotaru ventured. "Tonight may be very special. He says he has something to tell me."

"He's met an older woman and it's all over?" Ves suggested.

"Don't even joke like that!" Hotaru gasped in horror. The asteroids chuckled.

"How about you, Princess?" Cere inquired. "You can bring Helios along - - if your Dad will let you."

"No," the Princess replied with a grimace. "I've got work to do."

"Come on!" howled Ves. "You haven't been out of your room in a month!"

"I," Usa began uncertainly. "I can't. I have too many things to do."

The corridor branched and Usa headed down it, towards the Royal Chambers and a convenient escape route. Hotaru and the asteroids just stared after her.

"What is with her?" demanded Ves. "She's been like this ever since that run-in with that Desdaemona chick."

"Something happened between them," Hotaru murmured, staring after her friend, her heart bleeding buckets. "Something that really scared her."

"What?" Jun asked.

"I don't know," Hotaru answered. "She won't tell me and I don't remember seeing Desdaemona again after that encounter we all had in the garden. I've tried to help her, but she won't talk about it. Neither will Helios. All she does now is work and study and . . ."

"And not have fun," Cere completed the thought.

"Maybe Palla-Palla can make her a get-well-soon card," Palla-Palla offered.

* * *

Music was playing. The dance floor was covered in a holographic image of the galaxy and people were enjoying themselves. Around the room, tables hosted friends enjoying the atmosphere and the company, and couples enjoying each other. At the bar, people were drinking and flirting or waiting for someone to come along.

Cere was sheathed in a clingy dress with long sleeves and a short hem. It was an artificial lame` that glittered magenta or silver alternately. The neckline had a daring plunge and the dress was augmented with magenta hose and high heels. Burgundy eyeshadow and blood red lipstick adorned her face, and silver spiral earrings dangled from her pierced lobes.

Ves wore a dress as well, though she usually disdained them. The garment was black with spaghetti straps and a short hem. Black hose covered the length of her muscular legs and disappeared into thigh boots with high heels. The teen grimaced as she walked, for she wasn't used to wearing heels. She only did it because she knew men liked it and she was in the mood for male company tonight. Her face was unadorned and only the usual gold-and-jeweled ringlets were in her hair. As she and Cere headed for their table, heads turned.

"You ought to be arrested for false advertising," mumbled Cere.

"What for?" Ves asked, head cocked.

"You look like a girl," Cere needled.

"You're going to look like an air car crash in a minute," Ves growled.

"Ay, I wish one of the others had come too."

A robot serving drone appeared and took their order. Cere's head began bopping to the beat while Ves surveyed the bar.

"Don't you love the music?" Cere sighed.

"It's too 'cyber' for me. I prefer samba," Ves mumbled as she continued to scan the room. "The rest of the place is OK. There's some nice looking guys in here. Too bad they're all hooked up already. Maybe we should have gotten here earlier."

"There'll be another wave soon," Cere assured her. "Cool your jets."

"OK," Ves said. Their orders arrived and Ves took a sip of her drink. She glanced at her companion. "No alcohol?"

"After what happened with that ghost?" Cere gasped. "I'm not touching the stuff again!" She looked at her sister's drink. "And it wouldn't hurt you to leave that stuff alone, too."

"I can handle it," Ves scowled and took another sip almost out of defiance.

Their main course was only appetizers. Neither was there for dinner and they wanted to be able to quickly abandon the table if an opportunity for fun arose. The music continued to play. The energy in the club sizzled underneath, making them and everyone else eager to let loose. A holographic comet sped through the room, passing harmlessly through the dancers. That elicited a whoop of excitement from the crowd.

Munching on a battered mozzarella stick, Cere suddenly noticed Ves sit up straight in her seat. Curious, she followed the girl's line of sight and found what her sister was staring at. A man, clearly not a native of Japan, had caught her sister's eye. He was six foot one with thick black hair combed to one side, in an elegantly tailored suit and tie that formed lines from broad shoulders to narrow waist and hips that seemed almost erotic. Soft features except for hard, penetrating, almost hypnotic eyes completed his face and his skin was like velvet. It was as if a model from one of the holographic ads had come to life. The man was a little too buff for Cere's tastes, but there was no denying his attractiveness. Cere turned back to Ves and found her already out of her chair.

"Ves?" Cere inquired.

"I saw him first," Ves rumbled menacingly.

"Fine. You can have him," Cere replied, almost chuckling. "Good luck. I hope he knows what he's in for."

The man with the hypnotic eyes turned and signaled the robot serving drone at the bar for a replacement for his downed drink. A body shoved in next to him at the crowded bar and when he turned back, Ves was there. She wore a huge smile and her eyes had a confident look.

"Hi there," she said aggressively. "My name's Ves."

"Um," the man began, taken aback by the teen's boldness, but not repelled by her presence. "Carlton."

"Foreigner?"

"I'm from the North American States," he began to smile. "Calgary, to be exact."

"Why are you in Japan?"

"I'm recording a series of commercials here." Carlton smiled and Ves felt herself tingle. "You don't seem Japanese."

"Brazilian," Ves replied, her confidence masking her quivering insides. "I've got a gig with the Palace." Carlton nodded, impressed. "You dance much?"

"A little," Carlton answered. "I won't win any prizes."

"Neither will I," Ves shrugged. "Wanna?"

"You're not exactly shy, are you?" Carlton smirked. Ves held his gaze.

"Why be shy if you see something you like?" she asked him.

Carlton reached out, caught Ves by the forearm and ran his hand down her arm until he reached her hand, then grasped it.

"Why indeed?" he replied. The pair moved out onto the dance floor, occupying a spot near Alpha Centauri.

* * *

Using her security code, Queen Serenity passed herself into her daughter's quarters. The Queen carried a silver tray with covered dishes. Expecting a scolding from her teenage daughter for "violating the sanctity and privacy of her quarters", the Queen instead received no acknowledgment at all. Usa was studying text on her computer workstation with single-minded intensity. Serenity bit her lip.

"Honey?" she ventured cautiously. "I brought you some dinner."

"Thanks, Mom," Usa murmured, never taking her eyes off of the computer screen. "Just set it on the table. I'll get to it."

Serenity grimaced. She set the tray down and debated on whether to leave or press the issue that was bothering her. Finally, as a way to stay in the room, she ventured up behind her daughter and peered over her shoulder at what so fascinated the girl.

"Sun Tzu?" the Queen asked. "What is he, a pop singer or something?"

"No, he's not a pop singer, Mom," Usa scowled. It was the first sign of emotion she'd seen in her daughter in a while.

"Well, who is he?" Serenity persisted. "I've never heard of him. I suppose that's not surprising."

"He was a Chinese warlord a couple of thousand years ago," Usa related. "He wrote a book called 'The Art Of War'."

"Is that what you're reading?" Serenity gasped. "Why would you be interested in something like THAT?"

"Mom," Usa sighed impatiently. "Sun Tzu has been acknowledged for centuries as one of the most brilliant battle tacticians the world has ever known."

"That's very nice for him. What does that have to do with you?"

"Because it's something I should know," Usa bristled. "Because not everybody in this universe is a nice person and if I'm going to defend the people of Crystal Tokyo and Earth one day, I really think I should know what I'm doing!"

"Honey, you don't need this," Serenity said, sitting on her daughter's bed next to her desk. "All you need is the power of your crystal and a strong enough belief in the power of love and kindness."

"Maybe that's all YOU need," Usa turned away. "Not everyone can say that."

"Honey, what is it?" her mother pleaded. "You've been like this for a month now! You hardly come out of your room. You never go out with your friends. You've hardly seen Helios at all. All you do is stay in here and work and study! What happened?"

The Queen watched helplessly as her teenage daughter just stared at the computer screen.

"I," Usa began, then hesitated. "I found out something - - about me."

"What?" Serenity asked.

Usa's mouth scrunched up. Her humiliation was like a thing alive. Serenity could sense it and she wanted to grab her child and hug her until the humiliation was smothered, but she held back, fearing it would be the wrong move.

Sensing the question wouldn't go away, Usa finally spoke. "I found out," Usa choked out, "that I'm not you. And I'm never going to be you."

Tears formed around the teen's eyelids. But they were beaten by the tears that poured down the cheeks of her mother. The Queen lunged for her daughter and hugged her to her bosom.

"Oh, Honey, you don't have to be me!" Serenity wailed. "All you have to be is you! That's enough!"

"No, it's not!" Usa argued. "How many times have you had to face threats to this world that could destroy everything? How many times have you been the only thing between everyone and annihilation, Mom? Do you think that's all going to go away when I succeed you? What is Crystal Tokyo going to do if one of those threats rolls up and I fail? How can they depend on a failure to save them and protect them?"

"Honey, you're not a failure!" Serenity sobbed. "You're already better than I ever was at so many things!"

"But not the things that count!" Usa retorted. "And that's why I have to get better. I have to do stuff like this! I have to know it all! Because I don't have that magic way of making everything better like you do. I'm not you. I can't be you - - ever." She turned back to her computer. "But that's what everybody's going to expect."

"Usa," Serenity began.

"I have to get back to work, Mom," Usa said, not facing her. "Thanks for dinner. And - - thanks for trying to cheer me up."

Serenity reached out and put her hand on her daughter's back in a show of support. When the girl didn't respond, and the Queen didn't know what else to do, she got up and forlornly glided out of the room.

Helios was in his quarters, meditating on his bed. Through this meditation, he could observe the pleasant dreams of the forty percent of the world that was indulging in them at the moment. Unobserved, Queen Serenity passed through the wall of his quarters. Normally she wouldn't do this. That's why it was so surprising, a surprise that drew the Dream Guardian from his meditation.

"Queen Serenity," he acknowledged her politely. "How may I be of service to you?"

Realizing for the first time that she'd just entered without asking, Serenity grimaced. "I'm sorry, Helios. Forgive me for intruding. That was very rude of me."

"Of course, Queen Serenity," Helios nodded. "What troubles you?"

"Usa," Serenity sighed. "Helios, what happened last month?"

She saw the Dream Guardian frown. "I apologize, Queen Serenity. Your daughter has asked me not to speak of it. She feels it best that no one else know what happened save she - - and I."

"Well, one of the things I've learned in the last seventeen years," Serenity said, gently but with an undercurrent of authority she rarely exerted, "is that my daughter doesn't always know what's best for her. Please tell me what happened, Helios."

Helios looked down. "Do you," he asked, "command it?"

"Do I have to?" Serenity sighed. "Helios, you can see what she's doing to herself. This incident, whatever it is, has begun to eat away at her. I want to help her, but I can't help her if I don't know what happened."

Helios remained silent, torn between his word and her words.

"I won't make you tell me," Serenity said, and Helios felt overwhelmed by her sorrow, for Queen Serenity had a way about her that made you loathe to displease her. "If you feel your silence is the best way to serve her, then don't tell me. Forgive me for putting you in this position."

Serenity turned and headed for the door. She was about to wave her hand over the door's sensor, something she did out of habit even though the door's sensor was strong enough to have already registered her presence.

"Queen Serenity," Helios said. She stopped and turned back to him. "I will tell you what you wish to know." The Dream Guardian ran his hand through his white mane of hair. "I doubt, though, that you will enjoy the tale."

Continued in Chapter 2


	2. The Rocky Course Of Love

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 2: "The Rocky Course Of Love"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Hotaru and Yutaka emerged from the holo-theater hand in hand. The young male was dressed in a light beige shirt and dark pants, with his familiar heavy work boots. It seemed like every time Hotaru saw him, Yutaka had put on another inch in height and his body was even harder and more muscular, even though he retained his wiry frame. Not that she minded, of course. However, he was coming perilously close to dwarfing her and it occasionally made her self-conscious again about her lack of height.

For herself, she was dressed in a black dress with matching hose and low heels. The dress had long sleeves for the time of the year, as it was early winter. Over her dress, she wore a light jacket. Due to shifting climates over the centuries, Tokyo rarely experienced a winter below forty degrees and snow had been almost unheard of for nearly two hundred and fifty years. Still there was a nip in the air and it gave Hotaru an excuse to cuddle up to Yutaka as they walked.

"Did you like the holo-film?" Hotaru asked.

They had seen a twenty-fifth century period drama. To Yutaka, it was a historical period piece. To Hotaru, who still retained some sense of future shock even now, the film seemed based in science fiction. But the core element of romance and loss was the same, as it had been since such stories were told.

"It was all right," Yutaka shrugged. Clearly he'd gone to see it only as a favor to her.

"I'm sorry," Hotaru moaned. "We'll go see something you like next time."

"It's OK," Yutaka replied. Then he glanced at her and smirked. "The company was the best part."

Hotaru lowered her gaze as her mouth widened involuntarily in a broad smile.

Stopping at a street vendor to get two hot beverages, the couple walked down the Promenade toward the palace. As she walked, Hotaru began fantasizing again about what they meant to each other and intimacies to come. She wanted more from their relationship than the respectful companionship they had. And she was certain Yutaka wanted more as well - - he was a boy, after all. But whenever the thought of broaching the subject occurred to her, the girl would always suffer a panic attack. The thought of a wrong word, a wrong gesture, or a failure on her part to please him paralyzed her with enough fear to still her tongue. Silently Hotaru prayed that Yutaka would make the first move so she could shout "yes" to the heavens. But his mannerly way was too ingrained in him and he hadn't ventured the thought yet.

And then they were in the palace garden, approaching the gate. And another chance was slipping away.

"Oh yeah," Yutaka said, standing at the gate. He suddenly turned to Hotaru as the guard watched from a distance and smiled warmly at the couple. "I forgot I wanted to tell you some news. Hotaru, I got accepted by the Altzenheim Technician's Academy!"

"Is that good?" Hotaru giggled, because she had no idea what the Altzenheim Techincian's Academy was.

"It's only the most prestigious academy in the world!" Yutaka told her. "Some of the most brilliant cyber-techs and propulsion engineers in the world graduate from there. And I'll be studying with them!"

"Yutaka, that's wonderful!" Hotaru cooed and hugged him. "So where is this Academy?"

"Well, Dr. Krause's office is in Munich in the European States," Yutaka replied.

"Munich," Hotaru stammered, "Germany?"

"Yeah, I think they used to call it that," Yutaka nodded.

"They have a branch here in Crystal Tokyo?"

"No, I don't think so," Yutaka said, puzzled.

"Oh," Hotaru whispered. "When do you start?"

"Next week," Yutaka told her. "It's not a lot of time to prepare, but the spot just opened up. I'm lucky to get it." It was then that Yutaka noticed Hotaru's crestfallen demeanor. "Is something wrong?"

Forcing a smile on her face, Hotaru looked up at him. "No. It's a wonderful opportunity for you, Yutaka. I'm very happy for you."

"Thanks," Yutaka beamed as they walked through the gate and into the palace. "I want you to be proud of me." Once inside, Yutaka leaned in and kissed Hotaru good night. For her part, the girl flung her arms around him and kissed him as if it were the last time. Finally they parted. "Well, good night, Hotaru. Think you'll be free tomorrow night?"

"I'll make time," Hotaru grinned.

"Great! Pick you up at seven!" Yutaka replied and dashed off. Hotaru turned and headed for her quarters.

"Germany," she mumbled as tears welled in her eyes. "Why did it have to be half way around the world?"

* * *

Hotaru was still dwelling on the news the next morning. First class that morning was battle skills, where the elder Senshi trained the younger ones to effectively use their attacks and to defend against attacks. With the blossoming of new attacks, the frequency of the class had been increased. In her Sailor Saturn form, the young waif was crouched and ready for anything either her fellow senshi or instructors Makoto or Minako might throw at her. At least she was supposed to be.

"Saturn, look out!" Sailor Moon's cry split the air.

Saturn snapped out of her fog just in time to see a vortex of water spinning around her. She thought, at first, to erect her force shield, but thought better of it. Instead she swung her glaive down, cleaving the vortex and disrupting the flow. Bereft of cohesive flow, the water fell to the floor and splashed everywhere.

"Saturn, keep your head in the game!" Sailor Moon said to her, running up and grasping her by the shoulder. "I can't afford to fight an enemy AND protect all of you in a battle! I've got to be able to depend on you all looking out for yourselves!"

"I'm sorry, Sailor Moon," Saturn replied, her eyes downcast. Minako and Makoto both observed the exchange without comment.

"Good," the young princess said, softening. "The last thing I want to do is lose you." She turned to the others. "Any of you. That's why you've got to keep your heads in a fight." Juno, Ceres and Pallas all nodded.

Then the door slid open.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Vesta apologized, sliding in the room. Immediately Pallas ran up to her.

"Where were you?" Pallas demanded. "Pallas was very, very worried about you! You didn't come home at all last night!"

"Gee, Pallas, why don't you tell EVERYBODY," grumbled Vesta, rolling her eyes.

"Don't be too hard on her," Makoto said, easing up on the pair. She had a cynical smile screwed onto her face. "We already figured out that you missed curfew. So, was he worth it?"

Vesta dropped her gaze, but the broad smile on her face answered the question for everybody - - except Pallas.

"Hope you didn't have a date tonight," Makoto replied.

"W-What do you mean?" gasped Vesta.

"You know the penalty for breaking curfew," Makoto told her.

"Yeah, you've broken it enough," Minako added wryly.

"Besides, you know better than to be out of contact with the palace," Makoto continued. "What if there had been a senshi emergency?"

"Aw, Kino-Sensei, come on!" howled Vesta. "Carlton's only going to be in Crystal Tokyo one more day! He's got to go back to Calgary tomorrow! I'll do double duty after he leaves! Please?"

Makoto glanced at Minako. Minako nodded slightly toward Sailor Moon.

"Sailor Moon?" Makoto asked, turning to the Princess. "You're the leader. What do you think?"

Startled, Sailor Moon didn't answer at first. She scanned the faces of her senshi, the friends she cherished and depended upon. The friends who had given their lives to try to correct her mistake at D-Point.

"Let her go out tonight," Sailor Moon answered. "After all, there's no telling when she'll get to see this Carlton again. She can make it up later."

"Thanks, Princess!" Vesta said gratefully.

"So when are we going to hear about last night?" Ceres asked.

"It's going to have to be later," Sailor Moon announced, startling all of her senshi. "We've still got work to do here."

"Come on, we've been at this for forty minutes," groaned Ceres.

"You can gossip about Vesta's love life later!" Sailor Moon bristled. "Let's get to work!"

As the six teens went back to tasks at hand, Makoto and Minako glanced silently at each other again. Both were certain each was thinking what the other was thinking.

"Floral Animation!" Ceres shouted reluctantly, throwing pouches of seeds down and growing them into a squad of plant humanoids. The humanoids turned and charged Vesta.

"This is too easy," smirked Vesta. "Fauna Assimilation - Lowland Gorilla!"

"Use your new attack!" Minako called out as Vesta changed into a gorilla. Heedless, the gorilla waded into the plant humanoids with savage destructiveness.

* * *

After witnessing Usa's behavior in battle practice - - not to mention around the palace over the past month - - neither Makoto nor Minako were surprised when they were asked to join the Queen and the other elders in her chambers for a conference. The four old friends and fighting comrades gathered together, along with Luna and Diana, to wait for the perpetually late Serenity and discuss what was wrong with their favorite teen in the palace.

"You should have seen it," Minako related to the others. "Usually we've got to chase after Usa to keep her mind on work as much as the others."

"Especially after Helios started living here," added Makoto.

"But she was cracking the whip down there. It's almost like she never heard of 'fun'."

"It's been that way for a month now," Ami observed. "Right after her encounter with this being called Desdaemona."

"Something happened, that's for sure," Rei nodded. "Usa seems haunted by something. I wish I knew what."

"YOU don't know?" Minako asked pointedly.

"I try to control my sight so I don't pry," Rei retorted.

"Yeah, sure you do," snickered Minako.

"Why don't you try evolving into an intelligent life form!" Rei bristled. Just then Serenity breezed in and further bickering ground to a halt.

"Thank you all for coming," Serenity said. "I'm terribly worried about Usa. I don't know if you've noticed the way she's been behaving recently . . ."

"The whole palace has noticed it," Minako quipped. "Has she told you anything?"

"Of course not," scowled Serenity. "I'm her mother. I'm the last person in the universe she'd confide in." Serenity stopped and flashed a look of guilt. "But I - - persuaded Helios to tell me."

Everybody leaned in. Serenity began to relate what Helios had told her. She told her friends about how Sailor Moon and the Asteroids had been forced by Desdaemona to reenact the showdown at D-Point with Queen Beryl, as the elders had done a thousand years ago. She related what Helios had told her, of how every different choice Sailor Moon came up with had made the problem different, sometimes worse. She told them about how, in a desperate miscalculation, Sailor Moon had taken the freed Queen Metallia into her own body to try to smother the evil, only to become Metallia's helpless puppet. And she told them of how Helios and the Asteroids had all died freeing her from Metallia's grip, only to be saved by Sailor Pluto's reconstruction of the time line so that the battle never happened anywhere save in the memories of Helios and Sailor Moon. After the story was finished, the room was silent, filled with stunned people.

"My word," whispered Luna.

"It certainly explains a lot," Makoto added.

"I feel so bad for her!" Serenity said, on the brink of tears. "To have to go through something as traumatic as that - - it's beyond words! I still can't bear to remember that time!"

"It's not a pleasant memory for any of us, either," Rei whispered.

"And to have to deal with the choice she made," Makoto said.

"She was faced with a no-win situation," Minako countered. "She chose the best option she had to succeed. I probably would have done the same thing."

"From a tactical standpoint, you're probably correct," Ami interjected. "Given her level of power in comparison to yours, then or now, I would think Usa stood an even better chance of succeeding." The doctor exhaled somewhat in frustration. "The problem isn't her choice. The problem is her inability to cope with this defeat."

"Everything came out all right," Makoto ventured. "She just needs to shrug it off and learn from it."

"A sound philosophy, but one that doesn't fit with Usa's personality," Ami told them. "You all know that since a very early age she's put a great deal of pressure on herself to live up to Serenity's record and reputation."

"I told her she doesn't have to live up to any standard, Ami," protested Serenity. "I've told her that for years!"

"And you're correct in saying that, Serenity," Ami assured her. "But the children of fame often have artificial expectations placed upon them by peers and by the public at large. And the children of fame also often feel a need to live up to the reputation of the parent as a means of determining or validating self-worth. In this scenario, Usa has both failed at an awesome responsibility, that being the safety of an entire planet, and at fulfilling her desire to match one of your accomplishments. Clearly it has caused her to over-compensate for the perceived failing."

"So what do I do?" Serenity asked desperately.

"I could try talking to her again," Rei offered. "Maybe I can get through this time."

"You've already tried three times, haven't you?" Minako asked. "She just needs something to boost her confidence back up. You know, a win she can call her own."

"Maybe, but what do we do in the mean time?" Makoto queried.

"I can always clear some time in my calendar to work with her," offered Ami.

"Yeah, you didn't need those two hours of sleep anyway," murmured Makoto.

"If you think it's best, Ami, I'll talk to her tonight about it," Serenity nodded. Then she scowled. "Assuming I can pry her away from her work station."

"I'll try to aid you in convincing her, Queen Serenity," Diana chimed in. "Perhaps between us, we can break her down enough to at least come to dinner."

"If you want, let me know and I'll carry her out over my shoulder," Makoto added. That got several in the room smirking to themselves at the mental image.

* * *

As she could be found every night for the past month, Usa could be found in her quarters doggedly studying. But, as it was beginning to do so more and more frequently, the teen found her mind wandering from subjects like the theory of aeronautical dynamics or the history of battlefield tactics. When her mind wandered, she would most likely think of things like how she missed her friends, how she had upset her parents and her cherished aunts, and how often Helios had tried over the last month to dissuade her from her mission to perfect herself. And when she caught her mind wandering, the teen would roughly admonish herself with memories of kneeling in the barren wastelands of the arctic, the corpse of her love in front of her and the corpses of her friends around her.

"You've got to concentrate," Usa told herself. "You can't let that happen. You can't ever let that happen."

"Helios desires entry," announced the environmental control computer.

Usa sighed with frustration. Another distraction, just when she needed it the least. Her rational mind told her to send him away. But it had been too long since she'd seen him and the longing that her rational mind tried to smother was just too intense.

"Let him in," Usa whispered, cursing herself for her perceived weakness.

"Maiden, it is late," the lean, light-haired and light-skinned male said as he entered the room.

A sadness colored his eyes, for this was not the first late evening he'd tried to coax his love out of her self-imposed exile. Sometimes he'd succeeded, but his successes rarely lasted more than an evening. Other times he'd fail and spend a solitary evening torn between his duties as the Dream Guardian and his worry over Usa's emotional state. It had come to the point where he dreaded trying, fearing failure. But try he must, for she was indeed worth it to him.

"I have to finish this," was her answer.

"Maiden, it is knowledge that has lasted for nearly a thousand years," he countered. "It can wait a little longer."

"No, it can't," Usa scowled. "We've been over this."

"Maiden," he said. "I fear for you."

She turned curiously to him.

"In your zeal to be prepared for an eventuality that may never come," he continued in earnest, "I fear you may be harming your growth as a person and as a future queen."

"Harming it how?" Usa bristled. "I need to know this stuff! I can't let what happened ever happen!"

"Maiden, if in your pursuit of wisdom you nourish the brain at the expense of the heart and the soul," Helios explained to her, "what truly have you gained?"

"I'm not like Mom, Helios," Usa protested. "I can't depend on my heart or my soul to be the edge I need. I have to out-think them."

"Maiden, you are allowing one failure to blind you to every asset you already possess," Helios told her. "You are closer than you think to the goal you seek. But I fear that you risk losing everything if you imprison the shining spirit you have in the armor of a warrior."

"Only it's not one failure," Usa replied, turning away. "Clearly I'm not doing something right or I wouldn't be continually making a mess of things. I can't even get my crystal to work without your help. That doesn't say much for my 'shining spirit'. So I have to gain an edge anywhere I can." She set her shoulders, her back to him. "Now I've really got to get back to this."

"Maiden," Helios began with thinning patience, "I have done everything I can to dissuade you of the idea that you are less than you really are. I love you - - but I do not wish to sit idly by and watch you destroy yourself."

"Helios, I know what I'm doing!" she snapped.

The silence hung over the room.

"Clearly this is futile," Helios replied in a clipped manner. "As you persist in training for a future that may never come, you expend that same future. Maiden, you once possessed a dream beacon that lit up the skies. Perhaps you will one day come to your senses and shine again. Until that time, I will go - - and mourn that which is gone."

Usa heard the door hiss open and closed. She felt the tears welling in her eyes, but fought them back. Maybe one day he'd understand. And if he didn't, well maybe there wasn't room for love in this Sailor Moon's career.

Continued in Chapter 3


	3. Gauntlet Thrown

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 3: "Gauntlet Thrown"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

The screen of the computer work station displayed the information asked of it. A self-test in aerodynamic engineering was on the screen, the cursor for question four blinking, awaiting an answer. It had been waiting twenty minutes.

The Princess was draped across her bed, lost in thought. The harsh feelings she and Helios had exchanged weighed upon her. It was their first disagreement. That in itself was jarring. Helios had such a sweet, placid demeanor that it was almost unheard of to see him riled.

"I must have really hit a nerve," Usa whispered to no one in particular.

"My Lady?" came a voice out of the darkness. Usa glanced over and saw a pair of golden eyes glistening in the low light. The barest outline of a gray cat could be seen in the shadows by the door.

"Diana, what's wrong with me?" Usa asked. The cat leaped up onto the chair next to the desk where the work station sat waiting for an answer.

"You place too much of a burden upon yourself," Diana answered gently. "You expect so much of yourself that you have no hope but to fail."

"Wow, don't beat around the bush, huh," the pink-tressed teen muttered.

"Well, you've yet to respond to gentle coaxing," Diana scowled. She glanced at the computer. "Has your determination to know everything finally begun to whither?"

"Helios was in here earlier," Usa admitted. "I think I was rude to him."

"Then perhaps you should apologize."

"I should do a lot of things," Usa continued. "I should apologize to Hotaru and the Asteroids, too."

"For getting them killed?" Diana asked. Usa shot her a surprised look. "Your mother discovered what happened. She's related it to the elder senshi as well as Mother and I."

"Gee thanks, Mom. Why didn't you broadcast it over the net?" the teen fumed.

"Your mother was seeking advice," Diana told her. "She's quite distraught over your mood, My Lady. The entire palace is."

Usa sighed. "Maybe I should just go away - - stop burdening everybody with me."

"And when has running away ever solved anything?" Diana replied. "My Lady, I don't have all the answers. I doubt that anyone does. But I do know that you'd be a lot better off if only you'd stop believing the worst of yourself."

"It's hard not to," Usa said, her voice choking with emotion. "To have your power corrupted and turned against your friends and the people you're trying to protect isn't something you just forget. And being immature isn't much of an excuse, especially to someone you just killed."

"Perhaps you should talk to your father," Diana suggested.

"I have," Usa replied.

"Perhaps for a change you should listen to what he tells you. Remember, your father has been in the same position you have. He succumbed to Metallia's influence and nearly killed the one he loved. And he's had to live with the guilt of that for far longer than you have. Perhaps he could help you, if only in knowing that you don't carry your burden alone."

Usa lay on the bed, silently brooding.

"He is there and he is willing to help," Diana persisted. "I realize it goes against your pride as 'a grown young woman capable of deciding her own course in life'. Perhaps that pride is what's keeping you from seeing the solution to your difficulty."

Still Usa said nothing. But she did reach over and stroke Diana's head. The cat considered it a good sign.

* * *

"Look at this!" gasped Cere, motioning to the other asteroids in their shared quarters. She pointed to Ves, entering the living room from her personal bedroom. Ves wore a shimmering crimson dress with high heels and a low bodice. It fit tight to show off her figure, which was lean and cut, but still feminine. A solitary gold necklace dangled from her neck.

"Dressed up again," whistled Jun.

"Not just 'dressed up'!" Cere exclaimed dramatically. "She actually looks like a predatory female out to seduce some poor, unsuspecting man into her clutches!"

"If I wasn't afraid of breaking one of these heels, I'd boot you out a window," snarled Ves. Cere openly laughed at the statement, and Jun stifled a grin, further adding to the teen's ire.

"Is that for Carlton?" Palla-Palla asked, her face lit with child-like anticipation.

"Yeah, it's for Carlton," smirked Ves. "I want to give him 'ideas'."

"What kind of ideas?" Palla-Palla asked innocently.

"Playful ideas," Ves responded.

"Like Chutes And Ladders?" Palla-Palla asked.

"More like 'Ves and Carlton, sitting in a tree"," suggested Cere. Palla-Palla cackled.

"Ves and Carlton, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" mimicked Palla-Palla and cackled again.

"It's more action than you three are getting," Ves raised an eyebrow. Cere scowled.

"Do you like Carlton?" Palla-Palla inquired.

"Yeah," Ves nodded. "He's fun. In more ways than one."

"Are you going to marry him?"

"Mar–? No!" gasped Ves.

"But Palla-Palla thought you liked him," Palla-Palla said in confusion.

"I like Tae Kwon Do, too, but I'm not going to marry it," Ves responded. She glanced at the chronometer. "I better get going. The longer I keep Carlton waiting, the less time we have to say 'good-bye'." She shot her sisters a leer and disappeared out the door.

"Got your communicator?" Jun called after her.

"Yes, mother!" Ves called back. Jun shook her head. Palla-Palla wandered over to her.

"Palla-Palla doesn't understand," the teen said. "If Ves-Ves likes Carlton, why doesn't she want to marry him?"

"I guess she just wants to be friends with him, Palla-Palla," Jun offered weakly. Cere took a sip from the drink next to her work station.

"But she's doing the naughty with him," Palla-Palla replied innocently. Cere spit out her drink.

"Some times I wonder just how much you really understand!" Cere sputtered. Palla-Palla continued to stare at Jun, expecting an answer.

"Um," Jun began, "uh, well, I . . ." She thought a moment. "Maybe you better ask one of the elders about that one."

"OK," Palla-Palla nodded happily and went out the door. Jun glanced at Cere.

"Nice pass off," chuckled Cere.

"If it was anybody else but Palla-Palla," Jun shook her head. "You think they can make her understand?"

"Depends on if she asks Mizuno-Sensei or Aino-Sensei," Cere quipped. "Still, no matter which one she asks, I'd love to be there to watch it."

"You're no help," Jun replied and soft-tossed a cushion at her.

* * *

She should be walking up to the quarters Helios occupied, rather than the one shared by Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru. But as she was headed in that direction, Usa suddenly got a vision of an angry, disdainful Helios dismissing her from his life for being callous to his concerns about her welfare. And though she told herself that he would never do that to her, her heart wouldn't believe her. As such, she was at Hotaru's door instead of his. Hotaru she knew would never reject her.

"Good evening, Usa," Michiru smiled pleasantly when she answered the door. "It's nice to see you out and about again." Usa tried to keep cool, but she knew that remark was a pointed commentary on her actions for the previous month, gloved as Michiru often did in velvet.

"Yeah, Michiru-San," Usa grimaced. "Is Hotaru in? I have to talk to her."

"Yes, she's home. She's getting ready to go out with Yutaka, but you've still got about forty minutes until he's due to pick her up. And she has been worried about you."

"I bet," Usa sighed. "That's kind of why I'm here."

"Then go on in," Michiru said with almost maternal reassurance. "You know the way. Hotaru! Usa's here!"

Usa entered Hotaru's bedroom and found her friend trying to decide on a makeup template. It was a device in which one picked a desired look, then that look was projected onto one's face holographically. The person then just followed the holographic image with various cosmetics.

"This makeup template is a wonderful invention," Hotaru commented. Her shoulders slumped. "I just wish I had more to work with."

"Hotaru," Usa sighed. "Yutaka likes it, so that should be all that matters."

"You're right," Hotaru blushed. Then she sobered. "I'm glad you're here. I've got something I need to tell you."

"That's funny. I've got something I need to tell you, too." Usa swallowed. "And I don't think you're going to like it."

"What is it?" Hotaru asked, her troubles with Yutaka forgotten.

"First off," Usa began, flipping her hair trails over her shoulders, "I'm sorry for being so, well, distant the last month."

"It's all right. We all figured something happened between you and Desdaemona and you were just trying to deal with it."

"Well, you're right. You just ought to know what."

And, avoiding Hotaru's gaze until the end, the Princess told her the entire story of their adventure at D-Point. When she finally finished, the Princess got the nerve to look at her friend. She found the amazement she expected, but not the horror or the silent accusations. Instead, she found sympathy.

"No wonder you've been so obsessed," Hotaru said. "That must have really been scary for you."

"To Hell with what it did to me! I-I killed you! I killed everybody! And if it wasn't for Pluto . . .!"

"She killed everybody," Hotaru corrected her. "Not you. You weren't in control. You're not responsible."

"If I'd been stronger - - smarter - - something," scowled Usa.

"Usa, remember how guilty I felt about all the terrible things Mistress 9 did? What did you always tell me?"

Usa looked down. She wanted to say the two situations were different, but in good conscience she couldn't.

"It may have been your body, but it wasn't you," Hotaru continued.

"I should have stopped her," Usa argued weakly.

"I should have, too. But I couldn't," Hotaru told her. "And you always said that as long as I fought to the best of my ability, there was no dishonor in losing. And it was all right, because your mom was there to stop her when I couldn't. Well, you fought to the best of your ability. And Helios was there to stop you. I'm not saying don't feel bad. I still feel bad about what Mistress 9 did through me. Every day I try to get stronger. But I'm not obsessed with it. And you can't be, either. Metallia didn't defeat you because you weren't worthy. She beat you because you were weakened - - like I was. OK?"

"OK," Usa squeaked. Emotion had robbed her of her voice, the same emotion that was welling in her eyes and forcing her gaze to the floor.

Hotaru leaned in and folded her arms around her friend. Usa responded, clinging tightly to Hotaru for a few moments. Then she broke the embrace.

"Thanks," Usa whispered, her voice recovering. "I'm going to take off, OK. You've got a date to get ready for." And she was out the door. Only after she was gone did Hotaru recall what she wanted to tell her friend.

"Oh well," Hotaru sighed, grimacing at the reminder of the desolation she faced. "I can tell her tomorrow."

* * *

It was evening and Usa wandered into the private chambers of her parents. She knew it was dinner time and she figured it was a good time to make an appearance. Part of her wanted to go back and study some more, but Hotaru had been right. She couldn't obsess over trying to prevent what had happened, if now only in her memories, from ever happening again. She had to live her life now, rather than just prepare for a possibly dire future. And she owed it to the people she loved to be there for them instead of shutting them out.

Part of her also wanted to go to Helios and apologize, but once more she chickened out. Usa sensed that the longer she waited, the more she risked damaging their relationship. But the thought that she had already wrecked what they had together beyond all repair scared her down to her toes. So she kept telling herself that she was working her way up to Helios by patching things up with everybody else first. But even she wasn't fool enough to believe that one.

"Hi," Usa sighed as she entered the room. "Dinner still on?"

Instantly Serenity was there, her arms around her daughter and locked in a death grip that would have taken a pneumatic pry tool to separate. Usa thought to protest, but caught herself and simply endured it. She glanced over to her father and they exchanged silent sympathies.

"Honey, are you feeling all right? I know what happened and I just feel so terrible for you!" Serenity told her while maintaining her hold. "Please tell me if there's anything I can do for you!"

"Well," Usa began softly, grateful for her mother's loving attention and at the same time slightly annoyed by the depth and volume of it, "you could start by letting me breathe." Immediately Serenity released her hold. "Guess you know everything, huh?"

"We do," Endymion said, standing next to Serenity with one hand on her shoulder for both support and control. "I think we know what you're going through. But don't think for a moment that you're somehow guilty of anything other than falling to a superior adversary."

"Yeah," Usa replied, dropping her gaze. "I had a talk with Diana - - and one with Hotaru - - and they kind of knocked some sense into me." The teen took a moment to gather herself. "I do want to keep learning and getting stronger. I still think that's real important. But I can't neglect other things, too. I've got other responsibilities, too - - like being a good friend to the people who think of me as a friend." She shrugged self-consciously. "And - - being - - a good family member, too."

"There's one more person you have a responsibility to, Honey," Endymion advised her. "Yourself. Attention to responsibility is a fine thing, but attention to the more simple pleasures of life that make it worth living is just as important."

"Yes, you know what they always say: 'All work and no play'," Serenity began, then stopped and frowned. "Um, well, do - - something bad."

The corners of Usa's mouth pulled up.

"Yeah, something like that, Mom," she smirked. "Sorry for being a jerk, OK? So can we get dinner started? I've really got to talk to Helios about something important."

"You can go now if you'd like," Serenity offered. "We'll understand. I'll even save you a portion of dinner for later on."

"No," Usa shook her head, feeling the anxiety welling up again. "We can do this now. I owe you two an evening meal together at the very least."

"All right," smiled Serenity. "Then let's get started. I know I'm starving!"

The quip "When aren't you" immediately flashed into Usa's brain, but she caught herself before she said it. There would be time for biting humor later. Now she was playing nice as a way of apology. The girl glanced at her father and Endymion seemed to sense what she was doing. She looked away, embarrassed, but there was no reproach or scorn on his face, so she felt good about what she was doing.

Midway into the meal, though, things were abruptly interrupted. In the corner of the room, a cloud of smoke suddenly billowed up seemingly from nowhere. Everyone sprang from their seats, with Endymion moving to the front to safeguard his wife and daughter. The cloud seemed to become denser for a moment, then dissipated. Inside the dissipating vapor was a figure dressed from head to toe in black. The person wore a black hood with two night-vision lenses over the eyes. A long-sleeved tunic covered the torso, with black gloves over the hands and a black belt cinching the waist. From the width of the belt, decorated with pouches, one could calculate the person was either a woman or a very thin man. Black pants disappeared into black boots with soft soles to lend spring to the step and reduce the noise of its owner's footfalls.

The intruder was in a defensive crouch. As the smoke dissipated, the person rose to full height and stood proudly, almost defiantly. Endymion and Usa eyed the person warily, while Serenity stood anxiously behind them.

"Who are you?" demanded Endymion.

"You may call me Lady Kitsune," replied the person through a voice distortion device in the hood.

"Why are you here?"

"I've come for something you possess, oh great King Endymion," Lady Kitsune replied. Both her voice and her body language had a mocking tone. "Or rather something your wife possesses."

"Me?" gasped Serenity.

"Enough games! What precisely are you here for?" Endymion persisted. Usa could hear her father's ire was beginning to rise.

"What else?" the woman almost chuckled. "The Silver Crystal, of course."

A chill ran through Usa. Instantly she thought to summon Helios and transform to Sailor Moon. And then she had a horrible realization.

"What if Helios won't come?" Usa thought.

Continued in Chapter 4


	4. Lady Kitsune

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 4: "Lady Kitsune"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

It was a standoff in the Royal Chambers. On one side of the room stood a woman dressed all in black. She called herself Lady Kitsune and she boldly proclaimed that she was going to appropriate the Silver Crystal from Queen Serenity. On the other side of the room, King Endymion stood protectively in front of his wife, while off to the side Princess Usagi stood, aching to change into Sailor Moon and join in the protection of the Queen. But a nagging fear that Helios wouldn't show up and help in her transformation stayed her hand and stilled her voice.

"You talk rather boldly," Endymion said. His body turned to conceal his hands beneath his cloak, though his eyes never left his adversary.

"I never claimed to be demure, Your Majesty," Lady Kitsune answered. It seemed like she was smiling under the all-concealing hood.

"Please, this must all be a misunderstanding!" Serenity cried out. "You can't actually want to possess the Silver Crystal!"

"Oh, but I can," Lady Kitsune nodded to Serenity. "It's shiny and quite beautiful, and I dearly love such things."

"But you don't understand!" Serenity pleaded. "The Silver Crystal is more than just a pretty jewel! The power behind it is so terribly difficult to control! You'll hurt yourself if you try to take it!"

"A dire gamble indeed, Queen Serenity," Lady Kitsune replied, her hands at her belt. "But throughout my life, I have been willing to risk much for a great reward. Your concern is touching, but I fear ultimately wasted upon me. However, if your concern for my welfare is genuine, you can spare me the difficult task of taking the crystal from you and hand it over now. I will gratefully accept."

"This has gone far enough," Endymion interjected. "Leave. Now."

"Empty handed?" Lady Kitsune asked.

Like lightning, Endymion's right hand came up from behind his cloak. Three roses were in his hand. And suddenly they weren't there. Red and green flashed across the room, but Lady Kitsune had removed a chain with two lead weights on either end from her belt. Expertly the chain swung around and picked each rose out of the air, knocking them to the floor.

Anxiety swept through Usa as she watched the battle unfold. It fought with her fear of Helios rejecting her, both struggling for her mind and soul. Finally her need to act won out and her mental call went out to the Dream Guardian.

And to her immense relief he appeared beside her, his left hand grasping her right. Usa looked into his eyes and found guilt and remorse and just a little timidity residing. It sort of reminded her of the last time she looked in the mirror, into her own eyes. Crying out her transformation phrase with renewed vitality, Usa and Helios merged and Sailor Moon again appeared.

"Young Sailor Moon has finally decided to enter the fight," Lady Kitsune commented as she avoided another rose. "Well, I may be a gambler, but I'm not stupid. Another day, Queen Serenity! Your crystal will be mine!"

Endymion and Sailor Moon both started to charge her. However, a pair of black missiles shot out from the sides of the intruder's belt. Sailor Moon lunged to the side to avoid it and it shot past her. Endymion snatched his out of the air and found it to be a black balloon propelled by a compressed air cartridge. Looking back to where Lady Kitsune had been, all that was there now was a dissipating cloud of smoke.

Sailor Moon burst into the hall, but no one was there. Returning to the Royal Chambers, she found Endymion at one of the computer stations. Serenity was watching him work, but extended a hand to Sailor Moon to join them. Sailor Moon peered at the screen and found the picture corrupted by electrical interference.

"The hall observation cameras have been sabotaged," Endymion commented. "There's no record of how she could have come and gone."

"Nobody was in the hall," Sailor Moon added. "It's like she walked through the walls!"

"Maybe she did," Serenity suggested.

"It's not likely," Endymion frowned, "but I can't rule anything out yet. I'm going to call a meeting of the senshi, Serenity. I'd like you to be there, too." He turned to his daughter. "Sailor Moon, I'd also like you and your senshi to be there. Everybody needs to be briefed on this. There's no telling whether one or more of you may run into her again."

"Gotcha, Pop," Sailor Moon nodded. Immediately she pulled up her senshi communicator.

Hotaru and Yutaka were walking along the promenade hand in hand. They'd had a nice evening so far and even more enjoyment was promised. But Hotaru's mood was low-key. No matter how hard she tried to enjoy the evening, a shadow loomed over them and dampened her enthusiasm. Yutaka couldn't help but sense this.

"Hotaru?" he asked as they leisurely walked. "What's wrong?"

In her mind, Hotaru could hear herself saying "You're going to be half way around the world for who knows how long! What could possibly be wrong?".

"Nothing," she replied, forcing a smile. "Maybe I'm just worried about Usa. Let's forget it and have fun. After all, you'll be immersed in your studies way too soon."

"You care too much about other people sometimes," Yutaka grinned. "You should care about yourself once in a while." Hotaru felt her eyes sting. "I suppose everybody's been worried about the Princess."

Their conversation was interrupted by the alert signal from Hotaru's communicator.

"Oh!" Hotaru groaned, staring at the communicator.

"You got to go," Yutaka told her, his demeanor tinged with melancholy. "Life as a senshi. I understand. Be careful, huh?"

Hotaru looked up at him. This was supposed to be their good-bye date. This might be the last time she saw him for years. She wanted to stay, to be with him right up until the very last second he left. But she had a duty, to her Queen, to her best friend, and to her fellow senshi. Lunging, Hotaru wrapped her arms around Yutaka and hugged him as if she would never let him go. Then, finally, she released him and flung herself away, running back to the palace. She wouldn't look back. The girl was afraid that if she did, she wouldn't have the strength to continue.

At one of the local clubs on the promenade, Ves was dancing with Carlton and about forty other young residents of Crystal Tokyo. The light vibrated and strobed with the beat of the music, an infectious rhythm that encouraged the body to twist and sway and the feet to step hypnotically. It was fun. It was exhilarating. Her blood pumped and her mind felt free of all Earthly concerns.

But there was another aspect to their dance. Her eyes locked on Carlton as he moved, his form suggested by the drape of his clothes and memories of the previous night. And suddenly Ves felt a hunger. She wanted Carlton moving against her like that. She wanted to feel him, to touch him. She wanted to enjoy him. The dance wasn't enough. The food, the drink, the atmosphere of the club, it was all secondary now to the way Carlton moved and the masculine aura he exuded.

Then their eyes met and Ves swallowed. She could see he was feeling the same thing she was, that he wanted her, hungered for her. He was gone after tonight, back to the North American States. And the less time they spent with the preliminaries, the more time they could spend in his expensive bed at his expensive hotel.

Just then her communicator vibrated. Ves glanced at it and stumbled to a stop. Carlton noted her reaction and stopped as well.

"Trouble?" he asked, barely audible over the throbbing music.

She wanted to lie and say no. Ves wanted to ignore the summons and sate her desire with this magnificent male animal. At one time in her life, she might have. But loyalty had always been an important thing to her. And one didn't receive loyalty without giving it in return. Her sisters from the orphanage needed her. And so did the Princess. And so did the city that was becoming more and more comfortable, more and more like a home territory to be defended. This might be one more call to defend what was hers.

"Yeah," sighed Ves. Carlton gave her a sympathetic smile.

"That's life," he shrugged. "Always gets you when you're not looking."

"Hey, you have a safe trip," Ves said, stroking his cheek to at least get one more chance to feel him. "If you're in town again sometime, look me up. I'm not hard to find."

"I'll follow the trail of broken hearts," Carlton winked.

Ves turned and, reluctantly, left. By the time she was out the door of the club, she had her henshin stick out. Seconds later, she was Sailor Vesta and transformed into an eagle. The eagle sped through the sky below the air car traffic lanes, headed toward the palace.

Sailor Saturn entered the conference room. All eyes looked to her and she realized she was the last to arrive. Sheepishly she averted her eyes and moved to sit down. Sailor Moon gestured for her to sit in the seat next to her and she gratefully took the invitation. Everyone was there: King Endymion and Queen Serenity, the cats, the Elder Senshi, Sailor Moon and the Asteroid Senshi. Saturn grasped the gravity of the situation and took her seat.

"I'm sorry for being late," Saturn offered up meekly.

"No, we're sorry for interrupting your evening," Serenity offered up generously. Saturn looked around and found the sentiment shared by all. She felt better.

"We've called you here," Luna began, taking charge of the meeting as she often did, "because a threat to the crown has come to our attention." Everyone straightened up and all eyes were on the little black cat. "In fact, an attempt has already been made earlier this evening. Fortunately it was repelled, due to the efforts of His Majesty and Sailor Moon."

"What kind of threat are we talking about?" Rei asked, her agitation growing.

"Nothing involving anyone's life, fortunately," Luna replied.

"Except hers," Serenity made certain to add.

"However, this individual has made threats to steal the Silver Crystal from Her Majesty," Luna continued.

"Luna..." Serenity warned, scowling. The cat returned her warning with a look of disdain.

"That's a pretty big order," marveled Makoto. "But I can't say it hasn't been tried before. So anybody know anything about this person?"

"Artemis is putting an artists' conception of her up on your work station screens now. It's quite a good likeness, drawn by HER MAJESTY," and Luna glared at Serenity for emphasis, a gesture Serenity scowled at and looked away from, "in lieu of any security records, which are - - unavailable."

"Basic ninja drab," sneered Ceres.

"Oh man," Minako whispered suddenly, causing several of the gathered to look her way. "Her name wouldn't be Lady Kitsune, would it?"

"You know this person?" Luna asked.

"A long time ago," Minako began, the usually unflappable woman seeming stunned and a little haunted. "In England, when I was there as Sailor V, I ran up against this woman. I didn't do so good."

"I don't remember that case," Serenity piped up. "And I know your entire career as Sailor V by heart."

"It's not something I like to talk about," Minako frowned. She wouldn't look at anyone. "And the family involved kept it out of the press for the same reason. She busted into this mansion, beat a security system that was state-of-the-art back then and made off with one of the more famous jewels of the twentieth century. I tried to catch her, thinking she might be one more underling of Danburite's, plus it might get me a little good publicity. That never hurts." Minako took a breath. "But she beat me. It wasn't even close."

"Beat YOU?" Sailor Moon wondered aloud.

"Hey, I was young," Minako alibied. Then she sobered. "But she was good. It's like she had a million gadgets in that belt of hers. And she was real good at hand-to-hand. Plus she's as crafty as the fox she's named after. If she's after the Silver Crystal - - well, everybody better be on their toes."

"Fascinating," mumbled Ami. "I'm going to have to research this."

"It can't be the same person!" gasped Vesta. "That was a thousand years ago!"

"We're all a thousand years old, Vesta," Makoto replied. "And all six of you have been in the twentieth century."

"Sure, Vesta," Juno added. "She could have time-traveled or been in cryo-stasis. And it doesn't even have to be the same person. It could be a descendant carrying on the name."

"So what do we do about this woman?" Serenity asked. "I'd like to find her and help her."

"Well I agree we certainly need to find her," Rei added.

"Um, I've got an idea," Minako ventured. "How about Ami, Rei and Makoto travel to Brittania and see if they can trace Lady Kitsune from that end. I can look into a few avenues here in Tokyo. Endymion can use his computer to try to track her down."

"Who'll guard Serenity?" Rei demanded.

"How about Sailor Moon?" suggested Minako. "She lives in the same quarters. It's a natural."

Everybody in the room felt Sailor Moon tense.

"Don't clutch, Usa," Minako said, giving her a reassuring grin. "You can do it."

"But if she's as good as you say she is . . ." Sailor Moon began.

"Yeah, she's good," Minako nodded, that indomitable confidence dancing in her eyes. "So are you."

"You can do it, Sailor Moon," Saturn encouraged. "And we'll all help you." The Asteroids all nodded in agreement.

Sailor Moon frowned. "I guess it does make sense. OK, I'll do it."

"I couldn't be in better hands," Serenity smiled warmly.

"Right," Luna began. "Well, Artemis will coordinate with the elders on the trip to Britannia."

"Already computed," Artemis said. Luna looked at him with surprise. "Hey, I'm good." Diana smirked in the background.

* * *

Serenity was in the hover car port behind the palace, seeing off Ami, Rei and Makoto. Sailor Moon and Sailor Saturn stood by watchfully.

"It's no big deal, Serenity," Makoto advised her. "We hit the Flight Port, get an inter-orbital shuttle and we'll be in Britannia in two hours."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Serenity squeaked. "Well, be careful anyway."

"Serenity, the biggest hazard on the trip will be trying to pry Makoto's hands off of the arm rests," Rei quipped.

"I'm not that bad," Makoto retorted. She could hear Sailor Moon and Saturn twittering in the background.

"You're worse," Rei smirked. Then she sobered. "I don't even know why we're making this trip. I don't know what Minako expects us to find."

"Well, she does seem to know this Lady Kitsune better than any of us," Ami remarked. "Perhaps it would be best to follow her strategy for the moment."

"Where is Minako-Chan, anyway?" Serenity asked.

"Out following up on her 'leads'," Makoto replied. "Knowing Blondie, I wouldn't be surprised it if somehow involved a place where there were lots of young, single men." That elicited a laugh from Rei, while Ami and Serenity struggled not to join her.

"We need to get going if we're going to make our flight," Ami reminded them. Rei turned to Serenity.

"You're sure about this?" Rei asked. "I can stay."

"Rei-Chan, I'm in perfectly good hands," Serenity assured her.

"I know you are. This is no reflection on you two," Rei said, looking at Sailor Moon and Sailor Saturn. "It's just . . ."

"We know, Aunt Rei," Sailor Moon said, smirking knowingly.

"Smart-alecky kid," Rei grumbled and entered the hover car. Ami sat next to her, while Makoto shot them a smirk and got in next to the pilot. The hover car sped off, Serenity waving to it until the vehicle was out of sight.

When she turned to head back into the palace, Serenity got a look at the doubt coloring the expression of her daughter. The Queen glided over to her. When she was almost to her daughter, Sailor Moon realized she'd been caught and grew embarrassed.

"What is it, honey?" Serenity asked.

"Well," Sailor Moon scowled. Finally she came clean. "I'm just beginning to wonder if maybe Aunt Rei was right. Maybe she should have stayed behind to watch over you."

"Honey, Rei-Chan couldn't do a better job at protecting me than you can," Serenity assured her. "In fact, I'd prefer you because you don't nag nearly as much as she does."

"I guess. It's just . . ." and the girl hesitated again.

"Just what?" prodded the Queen.

"Well," Sailor Moon began and both of her companions could see that something was really troubling the senshi. "I don't know why, but I just can't shake the feeling that this is exactly what Lady Kitsune wants."

Continued in Chapter 5


	5. Opening Gambit

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 5: "Opening Gambit"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

The palace of Crystal Tokyo was on alert. All security personnel were mobilized and at their stations. All computer monitors and surveillance equipment were checked and working properly. Endymion was at his main computer, monitoring the palace and the grounds while he divided his attention with researching any possible historical notes that might be evidence of Lady Kitsune's past. He was also receiving periodic updates from the Britannian Confederacy as Ami, Rei and Makoto searched for anything regarding Lady Kitsune.

Sailor Moon and Sailor Saturn were in the Royal Chambers with Queen Serenity and Luna. And the four Asteroid Senshi were patrolling quartered sectors of the grounds outside the palace while they maintained communicator contact with each other and checked in with Endymion inside.

"How are things in your sector, Vesta?" Juno asked over her Sailor Communicator.

"So dull I could fall asleep," muttered Sailor Vesta. "I wish this Kitsune woman would make her play and get it over with. This waiting around is boring."

"Well I'm just the opposite," Juno replied. "I'd prefer that she never makes her play and she disappears forever."

"I didn't leave a perfectly good date to stand guard," Vesta grumbled. "If I've got to be here, I want some action."

"Sorry, I don't swing that way," quipped Juno.

"Huh?" Vesta asked, the jab sailing over her head.

"Never mind, Vesta," Ceres interjected onto the channel. "Nobody expects you to get it. She didn't use one syllable words."

"How about I stick my one syllable fist in your mouth?" Vesta shot back.

"Stop it, you two," sighed Juno. "Pallas, do you see anything?"

"Yes, Juno," Pallas answered. Everybody tensed. "Pallas sees sleeping trees and green grass. She sees pretty brick sidewalks and . . ."

"No, do you see any sign of Lady Kitsune?" Juno interrupted her.

"Pallas doesn't see that," Pallas reported. "How long are we supposed to do this?"

"I don't know. Until she makes her move, I guess."

"That could be days!" gasped Ceres.

"Yeah," Juno agreed. "Maybe we're going at this wrong. Maybe we should just patrol in six hour shifts. OK, who wants the first shift?"

"Pallas does," said Ceres and Vesta in unison. Juno closed her eyes in frustration.

"It's OK, Juno," Pallas replied. "Pallas will do it."

* * *

"Understood," Sailor Moon said to Juno over her communicator. "That's probably a better plan anyway. Otherwise, she'll just wait you out until you get tired." Flipping the face of the watch closed, she turned to Sailor Saturn. "Juno thinks we ought to stand guard in shifts. It might be a good idea, since we don't know when this woman is going to strike next."

"I agree," nodded Saturn. "Why don't you knock off. I'll take the first shift."

"You don't have to, Saturn," Sailor Moon protested. "Heck, it's night time and I sleep here. It makes sense for me to take the first watch."

"Do I get a say?" Queen Serenity asked, more peevish than anything. She never liked the idea of needing bodyguards and this was no exception.

Sailor Moon and Sailor Saturn turned to her and waited.

"Oh," Serenity squeaked, not expecting them to acquiesce. "Um, yes, that - - seems like a good idea."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow morning, Sailor Moon," Saturn said, touching her friend's arm. She gave the Princess a look of encouragement and left.

Serenity went back to her painting. Sailor Moon peeked over at it. The painting was yet another picture of her. Her mother never seemed to tire of painting her daughter. There were probably three hundred portraits of her in the palace, both as Sailor Moon and as Princess Usagi. The teen had long since given up trying to figure out why her mother was so fascinated with her image.

"No doubt she loves you, Maiden," Sailor Moon heard in her head. It was Helios, still merged with her in order for her to be Sailor Moon.

"Yeah, I suppose," Sailor Moon thought back. Reflexively, the teen sought out the farthest chair and sat down. "Helios - - I - - well, I think I owe you an apology."

"And I owe one to you as well, Maiden," was his response.

"No, I was obsessing again," argued Sailor Moon silently. "I was trying to prove to everyone that I'm not a failure - - I guess because that's what I see myself as. And I got irritable when you were just trying to help."

"And I succumbed to my own weakness when you pushed me away," Helios replied. "You can be quite difficult to reason with when you choose - - but I know full well that anger is no way to reason."

"I just," Sailor Moon continued, "don't want that to ever happen again. That's twice I've become a threat because something inside of me is vulnerable to corruption. I wish I knew what it was!"

"Might I suggest," Helios thought to her, "that instead of a skill you do not possess or a fact you do not yet know, that your 'failing' as you would have it is an inadequate amount of faith."

"Faith? In what?"

"Faith in your own abilities," Helios told her. "You have always been determined to prove your worth because deep down you have no faith in your worth. Faith also in those around you. You have a team behind you that is quite formidable. You do not have to do everything."

"Yeah, but . . ." Sailor Moon began.

"And furthermore, you lack faith in the power that simple peace and love can provide. You allowed Desdaemona to goad you into anger and diminish your crystal's power because of the situation she placed you in and the control you lacked. Simply forgiving her would have energized your crystal. Yet you could not do it, because she had affronted your pride and your sense of justice. And your power dimmed and Beryl defeated you."

"It's hard, Helios," Sailor Moon protested. "What Desdaemona did wasn't right."

"To her, it was," Helios answered. "There can be many reasons to oppose someone. To oppose in order to protect, either an innocent or the opponent themselves, is not always the same as to oppose upon principle. Right and wrong can be solid and unbending, or they can be pools of liquid that may blur and mix with the situation. The tree that bends will not stop the runaway boulder. Yet the tree that stands rigidly will not survive the hurricane."

"You lost me," Sailor Moon told him.

"You cannot be rigid in every belief you have, Maiden. You must know when to bend and when to stand firm - - and why. Once you know this, faith will come more easily to you."

Sailor Moon turned this over in her mind. When she heard the door hiss open, she looked up. Endymion was in the door. He looked from her and back to Serenity, who was staring at Sailor Moon with the pride of a happy parent. Sailor Moon instantly felt self-conscious.

"Did you enjoy your heart to heart talk with your boyfriend?" Serenity asked.

"Mother," Sailor Moon growled through clenched teeth, her cheeks flushing.

"I'll summon dinner," Serenity replied with a cheshire grin. "Ask Helios if he'd like to join us."

Back in her civilian form, Hotaru walked through the nearly empty corridors of the palace in evening. Once again she hadn't had a chance to seek her best friend's counsel concerning her impending separation from Yutaka. Really there shouldn't be anything to talk about. Yutaka had a chance to better himself and she couldn't stand in his way. Not if she loved him - - and she did love him.

"If only it wasn't in Germany," she mumbled forlornly.

Then she recalled what Makoto had said earlier, about it taking only two hours to commute to Britannia by - - what did she call it, intercontinental orbital shuttle or something like that? Such a thing was impossible in the twentieth century, but Hotaru quickly reminded herself again that she was no longer in the twentieth century. And if such a thing were possible now, perhaps she could go on an "extended visit" from time to time - - say, once a month. She'd have to research that. It could be terribly expensive, but perhaps Queen Serenity might be able to help her out. And she'd need permission to be away from the senshi - - and school. And of course she'd need the approval of her Michiru-Mama and Haruka-Papa. They might be the hardest to convince.

"Well, Hotaru-Chan," she heard a voice address her and turned. It was Yutaka's father, working on one of the environmental control panels in the corridor. "You seem to be deep in thought over something. Nothing wrong, I hope."

Yutaka's father, Shiro, was a weathered, muscular man of forty-three. He had a blocky face and a blocky body, and looked like he had labored all of his life. But he had an easy smile and his eyes seemed to light up whenever they saw something he enjoyed. Hotaru was one of those things. She recalled the first time Yutaka took her to meet him. She was very nervous, but Shiro took to her instantly and praised his son on his good fortune and excellent taste. When she told him she was a refugee from the twentieth century, he immediately began asking her all sorts of questions about that era. Finally his wife had to shoo him away to give Yutaka a chance to be with Hotaru. Ever since then Shiro had nothing but pleasant greetings for her and extended an almost fatherly concern for her.

"Well," Hotaru began shyly, "we've been on alert, you know."

"Yes, more trouble for the Queen," Shiro scowled. "People should learn to leave her alone. She's the best thing that's ever happened to this planet. I don't know why some people can't see that."

"Yes," Hotaru nodded. "And, of course, Yutaka starts school tomorrow."

"That he does," beamed Shiro. "To be accepted by a prestigious academy like that is a wonderful thing. Yutaka's made me so proud."

"Me, too," Hotaru said softly. "But I'm going to miss him."

"He won't be gone that long," Shiro smiled.

"He won't?" Hotaru asked. "How long is his course of study?"

"The full four years," Shiro replied, puzzled.

"That's pretty long," Hotaru murmured. "And the Academy is in Germany."

"Yes, it's in the European Union," Shiro nodded.

"But he'll be better for it," Hotaru concluded.

"Sure he will," Shiro beamed. "And then he'll get a great job and he can finally do the right thing and ask you to marry him." Hotaru blushed on cue.

"Maybe I just have to see the good in this, like you do," Hotaru told him. "And maybe I can visit him during his term."

"I think he'd like that," Shiro nodded, though he didn't seem to quite understand.

"Thank you," Hotaru began, then remembered his admonition to her, "um, Shiro-Papa." And Hotaru hurried off. She had shuttle timetables to consult.

"Ah, Yutaka," Shiro smiled to himself as he watched Hotaro hurry off, "you're a lucky, lucky boy."

* * *

The next morning found Usa headed for the palace library. There had been no sign of Lady Kitsune. After Saturn had relieved Usa for the morning shift of guarding Queen Serenity, the princess felt the need to consult the vast stores of historical knowledge contained in the palace library. In particular, she wanted to delve into the historical contexts and philosophies concerning faith.

Helios had given her a lead on finding a way to eliminate the flaw that seemed to keep her from achieving the heights that her mother had. She wanted to ask him more, but was afraid that if she pursued the matter too much with him, she would seem stupid or boring or needy or something that would put him off. And that was something she couldn't do - - not so soon after "smoochy sorries". Her fingers reflexively brushed over her lips until she caught herself.

As she turned into a branch corridor, a movement at the end of the corridor caught her eye. It was too quick to accurately register, but she thought she saw a figure darting down the corridor at the other end of the branch and the figure was in black. At least the bottom portion was in black. Her first thought was to pursue, but did she have sufficient reason? Glancing up at the monitor camera in the hall, Usa noticed a small device plugged into the side of the camera. Her computer expertise told her that the device was a transmission loop generator, which would keep a surveillance optical transmitting the same image no matter what was in front of it.

"That was how Lady Kitsune beat Pop's spy eyes before," Usa thought as she sprinted to the end of the corridor.

Cautiously peering around the corner, Usa found Lady Kitsune working on one of the surveillance cameras in the corridor. Her eyes on her foe the entire time, Usa's hand shot up and she whispered her transformation phrase. Helios materialized beside her, grasping her hand, then merged with her. After the transformation became complete, Sailor Moon lunged out into the hall.

"Moon Gorgeous Meditation!" Sailor Moon bellowed, the Moon Kaleidoscope out and aimed at Lady Kitsune. She was taking no chances and using her element of surprise to full advantage. Sun Tsu would have approved.

But Lady Kitsune did the unexpected. In order to avoid the pink energy bearing down on her, she leaped through a nearby window. Sailor Moon gasped, for she knew that window faced outside and that they were four stories up. Running to the window, Sailor Moon peered out, cautious to avoid the shards of glass sticking up from the frame. She expected to find Lady Kitsune dead on the ground below. What she saw was Lady Kitsune swinging down on a thin line, kicking in the window below that one. Sailor Moon looked down and found the line was attached to the window frame by a small hook.

Turning on her heel, Sailor Moon flew down the corridor to the stair case. She barreled down the stairs to the level below. Running up, she found the window broken out, but there was no sign of Lady Kitsune. The senshi popped open her Senshi Communicator.

"Pop, I've got contact with Lady Kitsune!" Sailor Moon exclaimed. "Last seen on Level Three East! Can you get surveillance confirmation on her location?"

"Working," King Endymion's voice came over her communicator. While she waited, Sailor Moon punched the send stud for the other senshi.

"Yes, Princess!" Jun asked. Ceres was on patrol, but the other three were on down time.

"Get to Level Three as soon as possible! Lady Kitsune's made her move!" Sailor Moon commanded. "Saturn, stay with Mom!"

"On our way!" Jun replied. When she faded, Endymion came back on.

"She was last observed entering a maintenance closet in the next branch corridor," he told her. "I'm on my way."

"Pop, no!" she barked. "The Senshi and I will handle it! I need you to maintain surveillance and report her movements!"

After a moment, he replied, "All right." It was a huge compliment to Sailor Moon's strategy and leadership, but she was too intent on the situation to notice. The Kaleidoscope up and ready, Sailor Moon ventured into the branch corridor. Warily she eased down the corridor, approaching the maintenance closet near the middle of the hall. Part of her wanted to charge the closet, but her recent venture into tactical application told her that she could be charging into a trap if she did so. And there was too much at stake to do that.

At the other end of the hall, Sailor Ceres appeared. Sailor Moon signaled her to stop, then advance cautiously. Ceres nodded and did as instructed. Moments later, Juno and Vesta arrived. Ceres kept them from charging. Each senshi crept up on the maintenance closet, ready to act at a moment's provocation. Sailor Moon reached the closet first. She waited for the others to arrive, then moved to the keypad lock. Softly saying her transformation phrase, Vesta transformed into a Bengal Tiger. She crouched, ready to spring, as Sailor Moon put in the code to deactivate the lock. The door slid open with a pneumatic hiss.

"She cut a hole through the wall!" Ceres gasped. There was a three foot by three foot wide hole in the back wall of the closet, leading to a room on the other side.

"Pop, she's out! Any sign of her?" Sailor Moon called.

"Nothing in any of the corridors," Endymion reported.

"I'll check the other room out," Vesta said. Still in tiger form, she leaped up and wedged through the hole and into the other room before anyone could stop her. Tense moments passed.

"Well?" demanded Ceres.

"There's nobody here!" Vesta called back. "The room is empty. She had to have left!"

"Pop?" Sailor Moon called.

"Reviewing," Endymion replied. "I've got a kitchen technician leaving that room several minutes ago. It's probably Lady Kitsune in disguise. I'm tracking her to Level Four."

"Damn! All the surveillance on Level Four has been sabotaged! She could be anywhere!" Sailor Moon gasped. Bringing up her communicator, she called Saturn. "Saturn, is everything all right with you?"

"All quiet, Sailor Moon," Saturn reported. "Sailor Pallas joined me a little while ago, but that's it."

"OK. Keep sharp," Sailor Moon advised. The girl thought a moment while her senshi looked on. "Vesta! Get in here!" The tiger popped its head through the hole. "See if you can get Lady Kitsune's scent from this room."

"On it," the tiger nodded, then climbed back into the closet. Once there, she said, "Fauna Assimilation - - Bloodhound!" and transformed into an adult bloodhound.

Vesta began sniffing the floor. Almost immediately, though, the dog began sneezing. One particularly violent sneeze sent her rolling into the hall. She lost her transformation and reverted to Sailor Vesta. The girl was holding her nose with both hands.

"What is it, Vesta?" asked Juno.

"She covered her scent with one of those cleaning chemicals in there!" roared Vesta. "I can't smell anything but that chemical!"

"What now?" Juno asked Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon bit her lip. "Vesta, go to the infirmary. Everyone else, head up to Level Four. Room to room search. Remember, she's apparently good at disguises, too. Check out everybody."

Juno and Ceres nodded and fell in behind Sailor Moon as they headed for Level Four. But the three senshi shared the silent thought that it was already too late and their quarry had eluded them.

Continued in Chapter 6


	6. A Leader Emerges

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 6: "A Leader Emerges"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

When Minako Aino entered the conference room, the meeting had already been going on for fifteen minutes. Luna looked up from her spot at the head of the table situated between King Endymion and Queen Serenity. The silent reproach was not lost on anyone in the room - - anyone save Minako, of course.

"Hi, gang," Minako chirped as if nothing was wrong. "Sorry I'm late. I stopped by the cafeteria for some pastry."

"It must be difficult to have priorities," Luna observed acidly. Several of the younger senshi were smothering laughs.

"Hey, I was out all night and all morning trying to run Lady Kitsune down," Minako retorted. "And on an empty stomach!" She slid into a seat between Serenity and Sailor Moon. "Besides, Artemis fed me the basics over my communicator. He tells me you all had another run in with her this morning."

"Which we've summarized already," Luna added. She turned to Artemis, who was at the other end of the table on his laptop. "You briefed her thoroughly?"

"She knows everything that went down," Artemis replied, glancing up momentarily from his computer.

"Heard you gave her a run for her money, Usa," Minako winked at the Princess. "I knew you had it in you."

"She got away," Usa scowled with frustration. Minako tapped her hand and the girl looked up.

"But she didn't get what she was after," Minako reiterated, "because of you. Believe me, she's slippery. Take your victories where they come."

"Yes, Usa, you did a wonderful job," Serenity added.

"I'll feel better about it when this woman isn't a threat anymore," Usa argued softly. "Until then, it feels like the job is only partly done."

"Well, as a means of fighting this 'person', we need to assemble as accurate a profile as possible on her," Luna announced. "That is one of the main points of this meeting. Your Majesty, you told me you have some information."

"Yes," Endymion began. A video capture of surveillance images from Level Three appeared on a screen behind him. "From these surveillance images, I've been able to generate some general facts. The suspect is about 157 centimeters tall, about 52 kilos. Her age is undetermined, though she moves with the speed of a younger woman and the skill of an older one."

"That's about right," Minako nodded. "She was about five centimeters taller than I was. And if she's 52 kilos, she's put on weight," she added with a smirk.

"She seems to be very familiar with our attacks," Jun interjected. "She knew to hide her scent from Vesta with those chemicals. And she knew not to let Sailor Moon's Meditation attack touch her."

"Logical," nodded Endymion. "She also seems familiar with the layout of the palace. That fact annoys me, because no plans of the palace interiors have ever been drawn up or published. That indicates to me that she's someone with knowledge of the palace."

"An inside job?" asked Ves.

"Maybe," Minako said. "Or maybe she managed to get sophisticated scans of the palace, either by satellite or by spectro-thermal imaging."

"That's possible," Endymion nodded. "But the more likely case is someone on the inside, either herself or a confederate. In fact, I'm inclined to believe she's working with someone."

"Yeah?" Minako asked.

"My security system picked up some microwave band transmissions inside the palace that aren't normal," Endymion explained. "The transmissions were shielded, so I don't know what information was being relayed. But I think Lady Kitsune was working with a confederate who was supplying her with information, particularly when she was being pursued."

"Why not?" Cere shrugged. "She's already got some pretty hi-tech stuff."

"That laser cutter she used on that wall wasn't something you expect to find on your common criminal," Usa continued the thought. "And that line she swung on was, too."

"She always did have top of the line stuff," Minako offered.

"And there's the fact of how she's getting in and out of the palace," Endymion continued. "When she removes her ninja outfit, she's able to blend in with the palace staff. I tried running an ID scan on the staff member seen leaving the room she broke into. There's no record of the woman ever having been on staff in the palace."

"A master of disguise too?" gasped Cere.

"Or a shape-shifter," added Ves.

"Your Majesty, were you able to track the staff member?" Jun asked.

"For a while," Endymion admitted. "Then she lost herself in a crowd. Since she knows about the palace surveillance, I'm certain it was deliberate. It's possible that her disguise was deliberate to throw us off the trail."

"These are all guesses so far," Minako said. "So what do we do to find her?"

Everyone seemed puzzled. Everyone, Minako noticed, except Usa.

"There's one thing we haven't tried," the Princess said. "Palla-Palla." Everyone stared, puzzled, while Palla-Palla perked up. "She has some small ability to predict the future or see things happening in other places. If she had a picture of Lady Kitsune, maybe a crystal with everything we know about her, maybe she could see something. Would you give it a try, Palla-Palla?"

The girl swallowed. "Palla-Palla will try if the Princess wants her to. But she doesn't know if she'll see anything."

"Why bother with her," a voice was heard in the room as the face of Lady Kitsune suddenly appeared on the screen behind Endymion. "Why not just ask me?"

Instantly Endymion was at his computer terminal, trying to triangulate the source of the transmission. Everyone else in the room, with the exception of Serenity and the cats, transformed into their senshi forms.

"Don't bother triangulating, King Endymion," Lady Kitsune said. "I'm on Level Six, near the observation balcony. Catch me if you can." And the screen went blank.

Immediately Venus and the Asteroid senshi bolted for the door. Sailor Moon was close behind.

"No, Sailor Moon!" barked Venus. "Stay with your Mom! This could be a feint!" Realizing the wisdom of the command, Sailor Moon stopped and nodded. The rest headed out the door. "Vesta, up the wall to the balcony! Try to flank her! Juno and Pallas, you take the North corridors. Saturn and Ceres, take the tower stairwells! Artemis and I will take the South corridors! Endymion?"

But Endymion was gone, his long legs taking him past them all as he sprinted for Level Six. Venus shrugged and followed as best she could, Artemis at her heel.

The conference room was now empty, save for Serenity, Sailor Moon and Luna. To Sailor Moon, it suddenly seemed very cavernous and very vulnerable.

"Mom, maybe you should move away from that window," Sailor Moon suggested, eying the door warily. "Over on the other side of the room is less vulnerable."

"I'm perfectly fine here," Serenity countered.

"Actually, she has a point, Your Majesty," Luna replied with brittle temper.

"All this fuss," scowled Serenity. Reluctantly she got up and moved to the far corner of the room.

"Mom, we're trying to keep her away from you!" Sailor Moon growled.

"I don't want to be kept away from her! I want to talk to this woman and find a way to end this silly conflict!" Serenity huffed.

"Well, you could always surrender the Silver Crystal," muttered Luna. "That would end it right off."

"I can't do that, Luna, and you know it," Serenity frowned. "The energy of the Silver Crystal is too much for anyone but someone in the direct line of the Crystal Kingdom to safely handle."

"Then it's as much for her sake as for yours that I keep you two apart," Sailor Moon proclaimed. "And I know you want to talk her out of it, but I don't think she's the type who'll listen to reason unless she's in restraining bands."

Further argument was halted. Sailor Moon caught a movement above and looked up just in time to see a black-gloved hand sticking out from the ceiling panels. It tossed a small black ball to the floor. When the ball struck the floor, gas began to shoot out from both sides. Within seconds the room was cloaked in a thick light blue haze. Sailor Moon's Kaleidoscope was out and ready to use, but she couldn't see where to fire. She heard both Serenity and Luna coughing from the haze even as her own throat began to burn.

"ENVIRONMENTAL 'COUGH' COMPUTER!" Sailor Moon shouted suddenly, while gasping for clear air. "FIRE EXHAUST ON!"

Immediately the vents in the room became exhaust fans designed to suck out smoke in the event of a fire. The fans pulled the haze from the room, clearing the air and revealing what was happening. Lady Kitsune was behind Serenity, her arm across the Queen's throat. Sailor Moon drew a bead on her with the Moon Kaleidoscope, but a lightning quick move from Lady Kitsune launched a small, hard object. It sailed across the room, struck Sailor Moon's hand and forced her to drop the Moon Kaleidoscope.

By this time Serenity had recovered her wits. Using the power of the Silver Crystal, the Queen passed through Lady Kitsune's arm and spun to freedom. Thinking apparently that the Queen would try to escape, Lady Kitsune's black-garbed form lunged, ostensibly to block her escape or to use it as her own should it become necessary. Her right hand went to her belt.

"Moon Tiara Action!" shouted Sailor Moon and launched her tiara attack.

The energy disk shot across the room and nailed Lady Kitsune about shoulder high on her right side. It spun the woman half a turn and thrust her to the floor. Scooping up the Moon Kaleidoscope, Sailor Moon started for her foe, looking to subdue the woman.

Lady Kitsune's left hand came to her belt and then slammed some pellets into the floor. They were magnesium pellets, judging from the shock of light that exploded from them. Everyone recoiled from the blast of light. When they turned back, Lady Kitsune was gone. Sailor Moon bolted into the hallway, but there was no sign of her.

"Conference Room One!" Luna was shouting into a communicator. "She's just made her escape through the corridor! Close and contain!" The cat turned to the others. "Your Majesty, are you injured?"

"No," Serenity shook her head. "I don't think she was trying to hurt me. I think she was trying to restrain me. Sailor Moon?"

"My lungs are still a little irritated from that gas," Sailor Moon replied. "I'll be OK. That was too close, though."

"Thanks again to you, Honey," Serenity said, rubbing her daughter's shoulder. "I wish we could have caught her and helped her. We have to find out who this woman is! This can't go on like this!"

Endymion entered the room and made a line straight for Serenity. His hands held her shoulders and he looked directly into her eyes.

"I'm all right, Endymion," Serenity assured her. "Our daughter saved me once again."

Endymion reached out to Sailor Moon with his hand. She took it and he pulled her in tight, hugging his daughter gratefully and affectionately. By now the others were filtering back in.

"Missed her again?" howled Vesta. "When am I going to get my shot at her?"

"She's probably afraid the 'dumb' will rub off," Ceres replied.

"Um, where's Sailor Venus?" Saturn asked. Right then everyone noticed Sailor Venus wasn't back yet.

"South corridor, Level Five!" the voice of Artemis suddenly sounded over the communicators. "Venus is hurt!"

By the time everyone arrived at the south corridor on Level Five, a medical team was attending to a very reluctant Sailor Venus. There were several lacerations on her neck and upper arm and a very ugly bruise on her upper right front shoulder. Artemis looked on, his tail twitching nervously, then turned to them. Serenity, of course, was the first to arrive.

"Buzz off! I've had worse injuries playing volleyball!" Venus snapped at the doctor. The doctor, a young Japanese woman, pulled back in deference to Venus and The Queen.

"Venus?" she gasped, kneeling down to her friend opposite the staff doctor trying to treat the senshi's wounds.

"I'm all right," Venus scowled at Serenity. "She just caught me with one of those compressed air missiles of hers. Knocked me for a loop. I almost had her, too!"

"Did you see where she went?" Vesta asked anxiously.

"No, I was too busy trying to get both of my eyes out of the same socket," muttered Venus. "How does she always do it? That woman is NOT better than me!"

"Artemis?" Luna inquired. "Did you happen to notice where she went?"

"I, um," Artemis stammered, clearly agitated, "I was kind of too worried about Venus."

"I'll review the surveillance images, just in case," Endymion said, rising up to full height.

"OK, but I don't think you're going to find much, Pop," Sailor Moon declared, pointing to one of the observation cameras in the hall. It had a small device attached magnetically.

"She sabotaged the cameras?" Vesta gasped.

"She probably had an escape route planned in advance," Sailor Moon assessed, "complete with remote-activated video scramblers."

"Sounds like something she'd do," Venus added. Serenity and the doctor helped her to her feet.

"Is she going to be all right?" Serenity asked the doctor.

"I'd like to take her to the infirmary for treatment," the doctor advised, "but I can't force her if she doesn't want to."

"I don't want to," Venus declared. "I'm not out of this fight yet."

"I'd bet you'd go if the doctor was a handsome young man," needled Serenity. Venus sprouted a guilty grin.

"You know me too well, Serenity," Venus chuckled.

But as the elders moved off, Sailor Moon stood motionless leaning against a wall. She seemed deep in thought. Her friends noticed this and moved in closer.

"What is it, Sailor Moon?" Saturn ventured. "Is something bothering you?"

"Something's not right here," Sailor Moon admitted. Everyone could see that what she was thinking troubled the girl deeply.

"What's not right?" Ceres probed.

"When I had my little skirmish with Lady Kitsune in the conference room, I managed to nail her with my Tiara Attack."

"And she still got away?" Vesta queried.

Sailor Moon shook her head. "The spot I nailed her in was the upper right shoulder - - the same place Sailor Venus is hurt."

"You don't think Venus-Sama is Lady Kitsune, do you?" marveled Saturn.

"I don't want to," Sailor Moon replied. "I can't imagine why she would be."

"Maybe that's what Lady Kitsune wants you to think," suggested Juno. "Maybe she hit Venus-Sama in that spot to throw suspicion on her."

"Yeah, get us fighting among each other so she's got a clear path to the Queen," Vesta nodded.

"Maybe," Sailor Moon sagged against the wall. She wanted to believe that explanation, but there was too strong a feeling in her that it wasn't the right one.

"Princess?" Pallas piped up. "Did you still want Pallas to try to get a feeling from the pictures?"

"Yeah," Sailor Moon nodded decisively. "Let's do that. Hopefully it will clear Sailor Venus. But one way or the other, let's get this cleared up. Something tells me the longer this goes, the worse it's going to be."

* * *

Endymion was in his computer room, reviewing surveillance images from the palace security optics. As his daughter predicted, there was no usable visuals of the south corridor of Level Five. Neither were there any indications of how Lady Kitsune had either gotten in or out of the palace. Even more evidence in his mind that the mysterious adversary was striking at them from a spot inside the palace itself.

The door hissed open and Serenity glided into the room. Endymion glanced over to her and extended his hand. She took it and came close.

"I suppose you found something that's going to give you an excuse to stay in this stuffy little room for the rest of the day," Serenity observed with a touch of rebuke.

"Should you be roaming around the palace without an escort?" Endymion rebuked back.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself," Serenity replied, "in spite of what everybody thinks. And don't evade the subject."

"Actually I haven't found anything," Endymion admitted. "This Lady Kitsune seems very good at covering her tracks. I'm beginning to wonder if she's capable of disappearing into the crystal walls." Serenity sat on the arm of his chair and draped her arms around his shoulders.

"Maybe she'll get tired and give up," she offered, her chin resting on Endymion's head.

"She hasn't demonstrated any other characteristics like you. Why would she do that?" Endymion answered with a sly grin.

"Rat," Serenity grumbled and poked his head with her chin. Just then, an in-coming signal showed up on Endymion's display. He put it on visual. Ami, Rei and Makoto were displayed, narrow-casting from Britannia.

"Receiving," Endymion told them. "Anything to report?"

"Nothing, I'm afraid," Ami said. "We haven't been able to find any recent trace of Lady Kitsune - - or that she's ever been here, for that matter."

"Maybe she's some descendant who lived in Japan," Serenity offered.

"We don't have any evidence of that, either," Makoto reported. "Descendant, wanna-be, anything. Nothing to indicate the original was in cryo-sleep or time-skipped, either."

"There's not even any historical evidence that this Lady Kitsune ever existed," Rei added. "If you ask me, this is all one big wild goose chase."

"The possibility exists," Ami corrected her, "that her existence was covered up. Historical records from that era are fragmentary, and the aristocracy have a tendency to keep hidden events they consider scandalous." Ami frowned. "But I must admit that it's a small possibility and that Rei may be correct."

Endymion considered the ramifications. "Do you think you can find out anymore there?"

"The possibility is remote," Ami replied.

"Then come back to Japan. I'm getting the impression that you three can do more good here."

Continued in Chapter 7


	7. Fox Hunt

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 7: "Fox Hunt"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Princess Usagi and her five friends were gathered in the shared quarters of the Asteroid Senshi. As she and Hotaru were ushered in by Jun-Jun, Usa noticed that Hotaru seemed depressed and distracted. She'd noticed the mood before in Hotaru and had made a mental note to ask her what was wrong. However, events conspired against her successfully broaching the subject.

"That's not much of an excuse," Usa thought. "Hotaru's my best friend. She was the first one to try to save me when Metallia took me over. This isn't how friends work."

Reaching over, she nudged Hotaru. The girl looked up at her.

"When this is done, can we talk?" Usa asked.

"Sure," Hotaru replied. She didn't seem to know why they needed to talk, but if Usa wanted to talk, she would be there.

"Here's a picture of Lady Kitsune," Usa said, handing the picture and a crystal to Jun, "along with a memory crystal of her known history and what little surveillance image records we have."

"Hack into your dad's computer system again?" smirked Ves-Ves.

"No, I asked this time," Usa replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Bet he was surprised by that," Ves quipped.

Ignoring her sister, Jun handed the picture and crystal to Palla-Palla. Immediately the girl retreated to her circle of dolls and doll accessories. Palla-Palla sat down and held both objects in her hands. She seemed to go into a trance.

"Is that the way this works?" Usa asked. "Doesn't she have to change into Sailor Pallas?"

"No," Jun answered. "What little precognitive ability she has works in either form. Sort of like her telepathy. If she sees something, you'll know."

Everyone stood and waited for Palla-Palla to move. The girl simply stared at the picture blankly, the memory crystal rolling in her left hand. Time passed and the suspense mounted. Then, without warning, she dropped both objects. Reaching behind her, Palla-Palla took two of her dolls in her hands. One was a fashion doll and the other was a teddy bear.

"I am the great and wonderful Lady Kitsune!" Palla-Palla said in a deep voice, shaking the teddy bear as she spoke. "I am going to steal the Shiny Crystal from your mommy and your mommy will be sad and cry Boo Hoo!"

"Then I will stop you, Bad Lady!" Palla-Palla exclaimed, raising the pitch of her voice and shaking the fashion doll. "Even though I let my friends die because I made a mistake, I am going to stop you and prove to everyone that I can be a princess and a champion of right!"

Every eye in the room save for Palla-Palla's shifted to Usa. Usa was barely aware of it. At the moment, she was finding it very difficult to swallow.

Palla-Palla launched the doll and the teddy bear at each other and mimicked them fighting. Then she pulled the two toys back to a face-off.

"You'll never get my mommy's Shiny Crystal! I won't fail again!" Palla-Palla proclaimed in her higher voice.

"Ha Ha!" Palla-Palla boomed in her lower voice. "I don't want the Shiny Crystal! That was a fib! I'm just trying to show you that you are a good and kind princess and a powerful champion! And you'll never find out, because I am a fox of many tales and a woman of many faces!"

"Thank you, oh thank you!" Palla-Palla squealed in the higher voice and the fashion doll hugged the teddy bear. Then she seemed to come out of her trance and looked up at everybody.

"Huh?" Ves exclaimed.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I'm with Ves. Huh?" Cere added.

"It sounded like she was saying," Hotaru ventured tremulously, "that Lady Kitsune isn't after the Silver Crystal. She's just doing this as a way to boost your confidence, Usa."

"I don't know whether to be grateful or humiliated," Usa said, stunned. "But why? Why go to such an elaborate hoax just to pump up my ego?"

"That might go back to 'who'," suggested Jun. "Remember, you thought Aino-Sensei might be Lady Kitsune. Think about what Palla-Palla said: 'a fox of many tails and a woman of many faces'. Given how many 'faces' Aino-Sensei has had over her life, as an actress, as Sailor Venus and Sailor V before that, wouldn't that fit her? And if she is Lady Kitsune, then her motive becomes real obvious." Jun frowned. "I don't know where the 'tails' part comes in."

"Unless she meant 'tales' as in stories," Hotaru added. "Like maybe films?"

Usa just stood there for a few moments. Nobody could tell what she was thinking.

"Sorry you all got involved in this," Usa scowled and headed for the door. She was out before anyone could catch her. Hotaru instantly went after her, leaving the Asteroids behind.

"Suppose she's going to confront Aino-Sensei?" Jun asked.

"Probably," Ves replied. "Well this didn't turn out the way anyone expected."

"Yeah," Cere added with a frown. "And what do you suppose 'I let my friends die because I made a mistake' meant?"

* * *

Minako was in her quarters, laying in bed as a concession to the deep tissue contusion in her upper shoulder. Years of battles had given the woman experience on how to nurse herself back to health. Plus Artemis had told her it was a good idea and she always trusted his advice. She'd never tell him that, of course, because he might get a swelled head and one swelled head on the team was enough, she always said. So she was reclining in bed, watching a vid-stream of an old romantic movie and criticizing the acting. Artemis was in the corner, working on his laptop.

"Oh cripes, you call that a kiss?" Minako grumbled as the lead actress kissed the lead actor after a dramatic revelation on his part. "He's the man you love, not your brother!"

"Why are you watching this if it's so bad?" Artemis finally spoke up out of annoyance.

"Bad? This is one of the best four hanky love stories ever committed to film!" Minako protested. "It'd be even better if they had a better lead actress."

"Like you?"

"I bet if I was the one kissing Seiji Tanaka, he'd be counting the fillings in his molars," Minako retorted. "When I kissed them, they stayed kissed." Artemis rolled his eyes and went back to work.

"The Princess Usagi desires entry," the environmental computer announced. Minako and Artemis exchanged glances, then the cat folded his laptop and bounded out an auxiliary exit while Minako bade Usa in.

"Aunt Minako," Usa said point blank after entering the quarters, "are you Lady Kitsune?"

"What makes you think that?" Minako asked blandly, sizing up the girl as she stood at the foot of Minako's bed.

"Circumstantial evidence that points in your direction," the teen replied. "That shoulder wound for one thing. That's just where I hit Lady Kitsune with my tiara attack."

"Yeah?" Minako responded, her eyebrows raised with respect. "Good for you. That's more than I've ever been able to do. But she could have hit me in this same spot to throw suspicion my way."

"Palla-Palla also had a vision," Usa continued. "She said Lady Kitsune wasn't really after Mom or the Silver Crystal. Palla-Palla said she was really just trying to give me a chance to prove I really am worthy of being Sailor Moon and Mom's successor."

"Doesn't sound like the Lady Kitsune I knew," Minako told her. "If that is her motive, though, I'm grateful to her. It's managed to pry you out of your self-imposed exile."

Usa stared, surprised by Minako's response and its bluntness.

"Nobody ever thought you were unworthy of being either Sailor Moon or Serenity's successor except you," Minako continued. "OK, you had a rough time of it. You took a desperate chance in a desperate situation and it blew up in your face. That's gonna happen, Usa. Believe me, I know about things blowing up in my face. And when it happens, it usually happens in a situation where either you or the people you care about could die. It's no fun, but it's part of the responsibility of being a senshi. And if you're going to be a senshi, you have to accept that. And you can prepare for it all you want, but you'll never have all the bases covered. It's not possible. So either you hole up in a protective little ball and never come out, or you face it and do your best knowing that some day it might not be enough. That's also life, Usa. Your final defeat is always lurking just around the corner. There's nothing you can do about it, so you may as well live as much as you can until then."

The Princess was staring at the floor, overwhelmed by Minako's blunt words. They were words, in various forms, that everyone had been telling her for a month now, from her parents to Helios to Hotaru on down. Maybe that was another way Helios meant by needing to have more faith. Maybe it was faith in the judgment of others - - particularly where it concerned her.

"Besides," Minako added with a twinkle in her eye and a smirk on her lips, "do you honestly think I would wear a costume that would cover THIS face?" and she pointed to her own features.

A grin sprouted on Usa's mouth in spite of herself. Then her senshi communicator signaled.

"Usa!" Jun said excitedly over the communicator, "Lady Kitsune's been spotted outside of the gym on Level Two!"

"Meet you there!" Usa replied and closed the channel. But she stopped at the door and curiously looked back at Minako.

"Give her one for me, Usa," Minako winked. Confused, Usa let it drop for now and hurried to fulfill her responsibility.

* * *

At Level Two by the gym, Sailor Saturn and the Asteroid Senshi were searching for some sign that their elusive quarry was still around.

"I don't get any other scents besides us," Vesta exclaimed, in bloodhound form.

"Do you scent anyone else?" asked Juno.

"Just some of the palace staff."

"One of them could be her," Saturn suggested. "We are working on the theory that Lady Kitsune is working on staff under a false name."

"Yeah, but none of these scents are recent!" Vesta told them.

"Pallas, are you sensing any thoughts near by?" Juno asked.

"No. Pallas doesn't hear anybody but us." She thought for a moment. "The Princess is coming." Moments later Sailor Moon emerged from the lift.

"Where is she?" Sailor Moon asked excitedly.

"We lost her," Saturn told her. "I saw her down the last junction. She turned this corner and when I got here, she was gone." Saturn looked around the corridor helplessly. "I don't understand it. The only place she could have gone was the gym and we checked that."

"Did you check the ceiling?" Sailor Moon queried.

"Yeah, I sent one of my vines up there," Ceres piped up. "It didn't find anything."

"I can't get a scent or anything!" Vesta barked, then changed back to her human form. "It's like she was never here to start with. I think we're just chasing our tails here."

"But I know I saw her!" protested Saturn.

"If you say you did, then you did," Sailor Moon spoke, her expression narrow and thoughtful.

"Vesta," Juno began, thoughtful as well, "did you happen to scent Aino-Sensei in either of these corridors?"

"No," Vesta replied. "Nothing fresh, anyway."

"No, I was with Aunt Minako when I got the call. It couldn't be her," Sailor Moon mumbled. "Vesta, did you happen to scent Artemis?"

"Sorry," Vesta shook her head. "I'd remember a cat scent, especially in a dog form."

"Kitty-Papa?" Pallas asked suddenly. The others turned to her. "He was close by."

"Pallas, are you sure?" Juno demanded.

"Yes, Pallas is sure," Pallas nodded. "She heard one of his kitty-thoughts. He was going back to Miss Minako-Ma'am."

"Could be a coincidence," Ceres offered.

"Maybe," Sailor Moon whispered.

"Sailor Moon, have you figured it out? Is Aino-San involved after all?" Saturn asked.

"Nothing I can prove," Sailor Moon said to her, "yet." She engaged her communicator. "Pop, when is Aunt Rei going to be back from Britannia?"

"Her shuttle docks in about ninety minutes," Endymion responded.

"Good. I want to be there when she gets home."

* * *

Artemis looked over his shoulder back at Minako. The cat saw his lifelong friend, project and irritation trying to get up out of bed.

"You do that and it will never heal," he reminded her, expecting to be ignored.

"I know what I'm doing," Minako groused.

"That's a switch," Artemis remarked.

"Just keep your mind on your work," Minako grumbled. She winced in pain as she bent forward. "When I see your medical license, then you can give me advice on . . ."

"Override. King Endymion is accessing these quarters," the environmental control computer announced. Artemis quickly closed his laptop.

Before Artemis could leave, the door opened. They both turned to see King Endymion and Queen Serenity enter the quarters. Behind them was Usa and Luna. Behind them were Ami, Makoto and Rei.

"Uh oh. Must be serious," Minako quipped as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Endymion's got his 'king' face on."

"Minako," King Endymion said, gravely serious. "I'm going to ask you point blank: Are you Lady Kitsune?"

"Usa and I have been over this already," sighed Minako. "She was even with me when the last sighting came. Now I'm good, but I can't be two places at once."

"Empirical evidence at the scene has led me to believe that the sighting Sailor Saturn made was of a holographic duplicate of Lady Kitsune," Endymion told her. "So that brings us back to the question."

"And I noticed you asked that with the human lie detector in the room," Minako said, nodding to Rei. Rei was hanging back, watching Minako intensely.

"Minako-Chan, we're sorry to do this," Serenity offered, "but we have to know."

"It's all right. You're just covering all the bases," Minako smiled, looking down. Then she looked up, right into Rei's eyes and said, "No, I am not Lady Kitsune."

Rei stared at Minako for the longest time. Minako didn't flinch. Everyone stood and wondered. Then, suddenly, Rei's gaze shifted from Minako to Artemis. It lingered for a few moments.

"Yes, she is," Rei announced. "And Artemis was assisting her."

"Way to go, Artemis," Minako sighed under her breath.

"ARTEMIS!" gasped Luna.

"SHE MADE ME DO IT!" wailed the white cat.

"Made you how?" Luna demanded.

Artemis grimaced. "By asking me." Luna rolled her eyes. "YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE WAY SHE ASKS!"

"Minako-Chan," Serenity whispered, staring in disbelief. "Why?"

Minako exhaled. "Usa needed a challenge - - something she could win, to give her back some of her confidence."

"So you set her up for a hollow victory?" Ami asked incredulously.

"Hey, there was nothing 'hollow' about this," Minako bristled. "Yeah, I didn't use my attacks, but I went all out against her, and I had Artemis helping me. And all I ended up with was this," and she pointed to her injured shoulder. "I didn't hand her anything. She handled me, fair and square. And maybe now she realizes just how good she really is."

The three elder senshi looked at each other. Following "Minako Logic", this actually made sense. Serenity, they knew, would naturally forgive her, and knowing Minako as they did, they probably could, too. The question was how would Endymion react - - and more importantly, how would Usa react to this.

"Hey, nobody got hurt," Minako added. "Except me."

"Nevertheless," Endymion sighed with thinning patience, "I think this could have been accomplished in a less chaotic manner. Not to mention other considerations," and he glanced at his daughter. But she surprised them all.

"Pop," she spoke up. "It's OK. Aunt Minako was just trying to beat it into my thick head that I'm - - more of a help than I guess I thought. She must have thought it would take something drastic after the last month. And I guess she was right - - here I am - - out of hiding."

"Muffin?" Rei said, her hand going to Usa's shoulder.

"I'm OK, Aunt Rei," Usa grinned. "And she's right, nobody got hurt besides her. She didn't mean anything bad by it. She was just trying to teach me something," and Usa glanced affectionately at Minako, "in her own unique way. So don't drop the hammer on her? This is all just as much my fault as it is hers. If I hadn't been hiding out from what happened, she wouldn't have had to do what she did."

Serenity folded her arms around her daughter and hugged her.

"Of course, dear," she cooed. "You're exactly right." Then she turned her big blue eyes on Endymion hopefully.

"All right," Endymion sighed, resigned to a battle he knew he couldn't win. Both Serenity and Usa smiled gratefully.

"Typical Blondie," Makoto remarked, shaking her head. "Hey, at least I got a trip to Brittania out of it."

"What I want to know is how you managed to beat my Second Sight?" Rei demanded.

"Hey, you've never once given me any credit as an actress," Minako replied. "Maybe now you will."

"Let me see that shoulder," Ami shook her head, muttering.

"It's fine!" Minako protested.

"No, it's not! Lay down and be quiet!" Ami snapped. She scanned the area with her medical scanner. "Just as I suspected - - a fracture of the upper humerus."

Usa exited the room to the sounds of Ami lecturing Minako and Luna lecturing Artemis. And she realized, despite the chaos, that she was pretty lucky to have so many people who cared that much about her. Down the corridor, Hotaru and the Asteroids were waiting. The Princess ambled up to them.

"So what's the word?" Ves asked, vocalizing what everyone was wondering. Usa thought for a moment.

"You all interested in hitting the Promenade tonight?" Usa asked suddenly. "We can go get something to eat, maybe see some of the sights again, and I'll tell you over dinner. My treat."

"Wow, I think the old Usa is finally back," Cere observed wryly.

"She's getting there," Usa shrugged. "So?"

"Palla-Palla will come," Palla-Palla nodded.

"If you're treating, I'm in," Cere smiled.

"Sure, Usa," Hotaru smiled shyly.

"Hey, party is my middle name," chuckled Ves.

"I guess it's unanimous," Jun shrugged.

"OK then," grinned Usa. "Fifteen minutes to get changed."

"FIFTEEN MINUTES?" Cere gasped in horror. Everybody else laughed.

Continued in Chapter 8


	8. The Same Old New Threat

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 8: "The Same Old New Threat"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Six girls on the verge of womanhood strolled through the busy throngs of Crystal Tokyo's center of retail and entertainment commerce, The Promenade. They turned heads because they were attractive. They turned heads because they were exuberant and their exuberance at life and their enjoyment of each other's company radiated out and affected those around them. These days, nothing seemed to multiply faster in the citizens of Crystal Tokyo than someone having fun.

Plus the group had a celebrity among them. Instantly recognizable with her flowing pink hair done up in rabbit-ear gathers atop her head and trailing nearly to the ground, the Princess Usagi was quickly the center of attention everywhere the six went. As they walked down the Promenade together, a woman in her thirties cut into their path.

"Oh my goodness!" the woman gasped in adoration. She had black hair pulled back from a common face and respectable, if quiet, clothing. Usa stopped and listened patiently. "I never in my life imagined I would ever meet you in person!"

"Well that makes two of us," Usa replied with an understanding smile. "I never imagined I'd ever meet you in person, either."

"I've followed you my entire life!" the woman continued, star-struck. "I remember the day you were born, they canceled school so we could all go to the palace if we wanted! It was the happiest day in the whole country!" She clutched Usa's hand like she was clutching gold.

"Well, I've always said they were just looking for a reason to have a party that day," Usa grinned. The woman seemed aghast.

"No!" she exclaimed. "The people love you! You're the hope of a new generation! You'll be such a help to your mother and father, and you'll help bring a new and even better era to Crystal Tokyo and the world! You mustn't downgrade yourself like that!"

Usa put her free hand on top of the hands clutching her and looked the woman right in the eye.

"I'll try as hard as I can never to let you down," she told the woman. Then she very gently disengaged the woman's hands from hers. "Thank you for all your kind words. It's been a pleasure to meet you."

"Just like your mother," the woman cooed. Usa and her party moved on.

"So what's that been, nine so far?" Cere asked as they walked.

"Three in the restaurant," Palla-Palla dutifully reported, "and six while we walked around. That makes nine."

"Sorry," Usa offered. "Maybe I should ask Aunt Minako for disguise tips."

"It's OK, Princess," Jun chuckled. "It's not like this doesn't happen every time we go out with you."

"I don't know how you stand it," Ves remarked. "All these people always gawking at you and fawning all over you everywhere you go, acting like you're the hottest thing since - - well, since your Mom, I guess. Don't you just want to get in their faces and tell them to back off and get a life sometimes?"

"Aunt Minako calls it 'the price of fame'. I'm understanding it more and more each year. I'm important to them. Just my being in the world seems to make them feel better. Every time I accomplish something, it's like they've accomplished something - - as long as it's something good, that is." Usa grew self-conscious. "Sometimes I do wish they wouldn't expect so much out of me."

"You were going to stop that," Hotaru gently reminded her.

"Yeah, I was, wasn't I?" Usa grinned ruefully. As they passed a group of teen girls, several pointed and squealed.

"Maybe we just need to get off of the Promenade," suggested Ves. She pointed to a building. "How about we duck in here?"

"Magno-skating?" Cere asked incredulously.

"It's fun!" protested Ves. "Kino-Sensei has been teaching me how to do it. She says it's a great way to be athletic and feminine."

"Because we all know how feminine you are," snickered Cere. Ves shot her an evil look.

"I'm game," Usa shrugged. "It might be fun. And if I'm out here much longer, I'm afraid I'll create a mob scene."

Inside the six teens were donning the special footwear for the magno-skating rink. The few patrons who were already there stared in amazement the moment they recognized Usa. Ves already had her gear on, while Jun worked hers on and Cere eyed them suspiciously. Just then, Palla-Palla walked up to Ves.

"Palla-Palla has never done this, Ves-Ves," the girl said anxiously.

"Want me to show you how?" Ves asked.

"Think about how it's done," she told Ves. Ves complied and Palla-Palla closed her eyes. She was very still for a few moments. Then her eyes opened and her demeanor was much more confident. "OK. Palla-Palla knows how now." And she began donning the footwear.

"She always gives me the creeps when she does that," Cere murmured to Jun.

"Why?" Jun asked.

"Who knows what she's seeing when she's rummaging around in your head like that."

"Got something to hide?"

"Hundreds of things," Cere sniffed, an eyebrow raised. "And don't act like you don't, either. Like who has been sneaking pieces of candy out of Palla-Palla's stash, for instance?" Jun's eyes momentarily widened in shock.

"It's like ice skating," Hotaru remarked, scanning the rink. "But there's no ice."

"Here's how it works," Usa explained. "There are a series of magnets in the soles of the footwear you put on. They alternate between positive and negative poles. There are also magnets in the floor of the rink, laid out the same way with alternating positive and negative poles. When you go out on the rink, the like poles repel each other and lift you a few centimeters off the floor. But the unlike poles attract each other and keep the floor from repelling you over the wall. By pushing off with your feet, you can glide along the floor just above the surface."

"That's wonderful!" gasped Hotaru.

They looked out onto the rink. Ves was already out on the rink, flying around with the speed of a cheetah. She expertly juked around another couple and angled back to the group.

"You've been practicing," Jun smirked.

"Sure have! I love doing this!" Ves exclaimed. "Kino-Sensei was right again. I haven't had this much fun doing something since the days we used to beat up the Chulos back in Sao Paulo!"

"You skate like a hockey player," sniffed Cere.

By now Palla-Palla was on the surface. She made a few tentative moves forward, imitating the mental images she'd read from Ves's mind. When she didn't fall, the girl gained confidence and began elongating her strides.

"Look at Palla-Palla," marveled Cere.

"Palla-Palla is doing it!" she happily shouted. Ves moved to join her.

"Well if she can do it, I guess I can," muttered Cere. The teen ventured out onto the rink tentatively. But without the benefit of what Palla-Palla had gleaned from Ves, Cere's initial movements were very shaky and uncertain. Anxiously she took two strides forward, then lost her balance and face-planted onto the rink surface.

"What was that you were saying?" Jun asked, her chin propped onto her palm and an expression of amusement on her face.

"IF I GET A BRUISE FROM THIS, VES IS GOING TO PAY BIG TIME!" Cere howled.

* * *

In Minako Aino's quarters, Ami Mizuno was attaching a sonic stimulus lead to the area of Minako's upper arm that was fractured. Minako lay in her bed, in her quarters because she adamantly refused to go to the infirmary, eying the device with unconcealed suspicion.

"So this is going to fix me up?" Minako asked.

"It will repair the fracture in your humerus," Ami replied, her eyes on her work at all times. "The ultra-sound will induce cellular reproduction and the bone will knit more quickly. Because of the calcium drain, I've given you a calcium booster shot as well. Fortunately the fracture was small and the bone didn't completely break."

"So this will fix me up?" Minako asked again. "Yes or no will do."

Ami looked at her for the first time, peering disdainfully over her glasses. "It will repair the fracture in your humerus," she repeated. "Your condition is a bit more complicated for a simple 'yes or no' response. You still have ligament and deep muscle damage in your right pectoral area that has to be treated, plus these abrasions on your neck and arms." Ami glanced at Minako's neck. "Usa didn't do this, did she?"

"No, I had Artemis scratch me up when I faked the encounter with Lady Kitsune," Minako admitted. "Had to make it look good."

Ami scowled and looked away.

"You don't approve of what I did," Minako observed.

"No, I don't," Ami replied. "What you did was bold and proactive, but it was also reckless and dangerous. You were injured, Minako."

"Got to give her credit," Minako shrugged, then winced with pain. "Usa's quicker than even I thought. That Tiara Attack was on me before I could dodge it. I saw it coming, but . . ."

"Minako," Ami interrupted. "What if someone else had been injured during your skirmishes with Usa?"

"I was careful," Minako protested.

"And what if Usa hadn't reacted to this as you hoped? What if she'd seen it as another example of how untrustworthy she feels she is with responsibility and power? What if she began to question her ability even more?"

"Why would she do that?"

"Because she saw her confidence-building 'victory' as a sham," Ami responded.

"Well she didn't," fumed Minako.

"Minako, you took a huge gamble. You put yourself in danger. You put others in danger. And you put Usa's psyche in danger. I can't argue with the results. And I can't really argue with your assertion that Usa was perhaps in a desperate situation. But your penchant for high-risk high-reward strategies aren't always warranted. There were other ways to get Usa back to where she was. They may have taken longer, but they would have been just as effective and far less risky."

"Well, you've probably thought this out right down to the last decimal, so I'd be a fool to say you're wrong," Minako admitted. Then she looked Ami right in the eye. "But you're wrong."

Ami responded by pushing a button on the sonic stimulator. Minako jumped as if the device bit her.

"That hurt!" Minako growled.

"I never said the procedure was painless," Ami replied smugly.

"King Endymion desires entry," announced the environmental control computer. Minako exhaled and signaled for him to be ushered in.

"Minako," Endymion said. He nodded to Ami.

"I can come back if necessary," Ami offered.

"It's OK," Endymion shook his head. "I'm not going to say anything that you don't need to hear."

"I thought Serenity convinced you not to spank me," Minako quipped.

"She did," Endymion replied, unaffected by her attempt at humor, "and I'm not."

"But . . ." Minako prodded.

"I would," and Endymion paused to search for the right term, "appreciate it if you wouldn't do something like this again - - for the sake of the city, the palace and everyone in it."

"I didn't go too far!" Minako stubbornly maintained. "But I guess I can - - try - - to fulfill your request." She scowled. "Since you are king and everything. I guess that counts for something."

"Thank you," Endymion replied wryly.

"Besides, I don't think I'm going to need to 'go all drastic' again," Minako added. "I think Usa's going to be just fine from now on."

"I hope you're right," Endymion concurred. "And after you've recuperated, I'd like to discuss some of the ways you beat palace security. This little stunt of yours pointed out some blind spots - - and I don't like blind spots."

"No problem. Ask Artemis in, too. He and I were a team on this and he came up with as many as I did," Minako told him.

"Out of curiosity," Ami interjected. "Was there ever a real Lady Kitsune?"

"Nope. Made her up," Minako proclaimed. Then she pointed at Ami. "See, thinking that somebody could have actually beaten Sailor V - - that was your first mistake."

* * *

At the rink, Hotaru was beginning to get the feel of skating on air, with an assist from her friend Usa. The two skated together, following the line of the wall surrounding the rink.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Usa," Hotaru offered up. "We were all worried about you."

"Sorry about that. Sometimes I can't quite keep the drama queen buried," Usa replied. She glanced over at Hotaru to size up the girl's mood. "So what's bothering you?"

Hotaru looked up at her, startled, then looked away with chagrin.

"I've noticed you've been troubled for a few days now. I've just been too busy to find out what it is," Usa told her. "That's my fault. I'm here now. Anything I can help with?"

Hotaru grimaced.

"I've still got some pull around the palace," Usa prodded.

"I don't know if it's anything you can help with," Hotaru murmured.

"I've still got two shoulders," Usa persisted. "One of them's yours."

The small teen sighed. "Yutaka was accepted to a training academy."

"Well, that's a good thing," Usa replied, puzzled, "isn't it? Doesn't he want to go?"

"Yes! He wants to go. He's really excited. And," Hotaru continued, summoning up her courage, "it's a wonderful opportunity for him. It's the chance he needs to get the training he'll need to become the maintenance and engineering expert he's always wanted to be. It's his big break."

"So what's wrong?" Usa asked as they continued to glide around the rink.

"The school's in Germany," Hotaru whimpered, trying desperately not to cry. "I-I mean, The European Union. That's what it's called now. I still have trouble thinking in thirtieth century terms sometimes. The European Union is so far, Usa, even with today's accelerated travel. And he's going to be studying for three or four years. I don't know how I'm going to be able to stand being separated from him for that long. But I don't want to stand in his way. That's not fair to him. And I can't go with him. I have responsibilities here."

Hotaru wiped her eye with her finger. Timidly she glanced over at Usa and found her friend grinning at her.

"What's so amusing?" she asked, a trace of hurt in her voice.

"I guess you do still have trouble thinking in thirtieth century terms," Usa marveled. "Hotaru, haven't you ever heard of holo-classes?"

"Like when one of the elders can't teach our class and we're taught by a holographic representation animated by computer?" Hotaru murmured.

"That's the concept, only it's a little more advanced than what we use," Usa explained. "In the thirtieth century, almost nobody teaches with students gathered in a classroom or a lecture hall except in elementary and secondary school. And they only do that for the social interaction it gives the kids. University level courses are taught in holo-classes. The teacher or professor gives the lecture in front of a camera and the image is transmitted narrowband to anyone who has bought the course. The teacher is then projected as a holographic image right into their home or office. Questions and discussions are transmitted back to the teacher the same way and tests are given over the computer. Nobody goes away to college in another city anymore. There's no need."

"You mean," Hotaru said softly, hope dawning in her breast, "that Yutaka can take the courses he needs and stay in Crystal Tokyo?"

"He's probably taking it in his bedroom at the palace," Usa chuckled.

And before her eyes, Usa watched her friend transform from a melancholy waif carrying the burden of Atlas himself on her shoulders to an eager girl suddenly excited about the prospect of life once again. She stopped on the rink, drawing everybody's attention. Usa circled back to her. At once she grabbed Usa's hands in hers.

"I've made a terrible mistake!" Hotaru grinned wildly. "I've got to go! I've got to see him! Oh Usa, I'm so sorry for cutting out on you, but . . .!"

"It's OK," Usa smiled charitably. "I think I can handle it. You go on."

Not waiting for anyone or anything else, Hotaru pivoted on the rink and sped to the gate. She barreled off of the surface, ripped her equipment off and quickly donned her street shoes.

"What's up with Hotaru?" Cere asked. She and the others had drifted over to Usa.

"Oh, nothing much," Usa smiled warmly. "She just found out that she's going to get to spend a lot more time with Yutaka than she thought she was."

"Well I know I'd like that a lot better than magno-skating," Cere quipped.

Sprinting out into the evening, Hotaru was focused only on how fast she could get back to the palace and apologize to Yutaka. No wonder he seemed so unconcerned about the distance from Crystal Tokyo to the Academy's offices. It was all just a misunderstanding and he was staying. Could life be any better?

There was a whistle in the air just before she was struck. Hotaru felt an impact and when she had recovered her senses, she found herself on the pavement of The Promenade, her arms and upper torso wrapped in a bolo. Patrons and sightseers were gasping in alarm and vacating the area. Hotaru looked up just in time to see a figure leaping down from the roof of the Magno-skating Rink. The figure was covered from head to foot in black and wore a black hood over her head. Hotaru's eyes popped.

"Lady Kitsune?" Hotaru whispered in amazement.

Continued in Chapter 9


	9. Who Is Lady Kitsune Squared

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 9: "Who Is Lady Kutsune Squared"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Sprinting out into the evening, Hotaru was focused only on how fast she could get back to the palace and apologize to Yutaka. No wonder he seemed so unconcerned about the distance from Crystal Tokyo to the Academy's offices. It was all just a misunderstanding and he was staying. Could life be any better?

There was a whistle in the air just before she was struck. Hotaru felt an impact and when she had recovered her senses, she found herself on the pavement of The Promenade, her arms and upper torso wrapped in a bola. Patrons and sightseers were gasping in alarm and vacating the area. Hotaru looked up just in time to see a figure leaping down from the roof of the Magno-skating Rink. The figure was covered from head to foot in black and wore a black hood over her head. Hotaru's eyes popped.

"Lady Kitsune?" Hotaru whispered in amazement.

The woman landed gracefully just a few feet from Hotaru, bracing herself into a crouch with her right hand. She looked at Hotaru for a few moments, sizing the girl up. Hotaru instantly summoned her henshin stick.

"Saturn Star Power Make Up!" she cried, hoping that the transformation would complete before Lady Kitsune had a chance to attack.

But as she transformed, Lady Kitsune turned and ran into the Magno-skating Rink. By the time Hotaru transformed into Sailor Saturn, her quarry was gone. Struggling to turn the blade of her glaive against the ropes of the bola, Saturn carefully severed her restraints. Once she was free, she pulled her Senshi Communicator to her face.

"Yeah, Hotaru?" Usa asked over the communicator.

"Usa, I was just attacked by Lady Kitsune!" Saturn cried.

"Lady Kitsune? That's impossible!" Usa gasped.

"She's headed your way! You'd better transform!" Saturn warned her. "I'll be in as soon as I can!"

Usa broke the connection and looked to the Asteroids. They had all stopped when they noticed Usa speaking over the Senshi Communicator and were looking at her, waiting for instructions.

"Transform," she told them. "We may be attacked at any moment."

"Who is it?" Cere asked as the others complied.

"Saturn said she was just attacked outside by Lady Kitsune," Usa responded. Not waiting for more questions, Usa stuck her hand into the air. "Moon Cosmic Power Make Up!" Instantly Helios appeared beside her, grasped her hand and the two merged.

"But I thought Aino-Sensei was Lady Kitsune!" Sailor Juno asked as Sailor Moon and Sailor Ceres emerged.

"I don't know what's going on yet. But we have to be ready," Sailor Moon replied. She turned to the other patrons of the rink. "Everyone, please leave the rink immediately! There may be some trouble ahead and we don't want anyone getting hurt!"

As the other patrons began to head for the exits, murmuring anxiously among themselves, Saturn came running into the rink. She had her glaive poised and ready to take on any threat. Her head swiveled back and forth as she ran to the others. Juno and Vesta were searching the rink visually when she stopped next to Sailor Moon.

"Did you see her?" Saturn asked.

"Haven't seen anybody," Sailor Moon answered.

"Well where could she have gone?" Saturn wondered, looking around.

"You're sure you saw her?" Vesta asked.

"Yes!" Saturn replied. "She ambushed me outside of the rink - - trapped me in a bola! Then she ran inside through the front door!"

"Vesta, scout out the rafters," Sailor Moon ordered. Vesta nodded.

"Fauna Assimilation, falcon!" Vesta yelled and transformed into a falcon. Pushing off, she soared up into the tops of the rink's roof. Gliding easily, the falcon circled the ceiling multiple times.

"Pallas, are you catching any other thoughts besides ours?" Sailor Moon asked.

Pallas concentrated. "No. Pallas doesn't hear anyone besides us."

"Where could she have gone?" fumed Saturn.

"I don't know," Sailor Moon replied, tight-lipped. "Why don't you four search the rink while I check in with the palace."

The four senshi nodded and fanned out around the rink. Vesta maintained her search pattern above. Sailor Moon began putting a call in to the Crystal Palace.

Just then, smoke began to billow up from the floor near Sailor Moon. She turned to it, startled, and was even more startled when a black form burst from the cloud of smoke. Lady Kitsune lunged at Sailor Moon. The senshi gave ground, but her foe was too quick for her. Lady Kitsune's hands seized Sailor Moon's head on either side. She could see the woman had her mask pulled up to reveal her mouth. Then the woman jammed her mouth to Sailor Moon's. Surprise, shock and repulsion quickly ran through the young girl's body and brain, but it was just as quickly supplanted by a sudden weakness. Sailor Moon wanted to resist, but her mind was swimming.

"Beautiful Incantation!" Pallas called out.

Invisible hands suddenly plucked Lady Kitsune by the back of her black costume and pulled her up into the air, away from Sailor Moon. For her part, the senshi immediately sank to her knees and toppled onto her back. Vesta swooped in and raked at Lady Kitsune with her talons. The woman in black reached up and severed her costume with a knife, dropping nimbly to the floor.

"Fauna Combination, Bengal tiger eagle!" the falcon shouted as she arced for another pass. In midair, Vesta transformed into a full grown female Bengal tiger adorned with very functional brown and white wings.

Lady Kitsune crouched. Saturn had returned and was standing between her and Sailor Moon, her glaive poised and her eyes black and cold. Vesta was coming up fast on her right, claws bared and her mouth pulled back to reveal sharp feline teeth. In an instant, the woman's hands were at her belt. She launched something at Saturn and Vesta. Before either could react, the senshi were struck with bolas and thrown off their strides. Vesta landed hard, fighting angrily with the cords trapping her paws and wings. Saturn looked up, desperately trying to summon her psychic blast to fend off this attacker.

"Floral Stimulation!" Ceres called out, throwing a pouch of seeds into the fray.

Immediately the pouch exploded with a vine that quickly expanded up and out. Seconds later it was a huge stalk with grasping tendrils eagerly trying to ensnare Lady Kitsune. The woman evaded several attempts, but was clearly harassed by the plant. In the middle of the melee, Sailor Moon struggled to her feet, assisted by Sailor Juno.

"Moon," she gasped, summoning the Moon Kaleidoscope with unsteady hands.

Seeing this, Lady Kitsune flung a small capsule to the floor. It exploded into a shroud of billowing smoke that quickly engulfed the immediate area.

"Aqua Initiation!" Juno called out and set off the sprinkler system. The water quickly squelched the billowing smoke, but they found that Lady Kitsune was gone. After Saturn cut herself free, she freed Vesta.

"See if you can find her!" Juno barked at Vesta and Pallas. They nodded and were off. Juno and Saturn tried to steady Sailor Moon.

"Sailor Moon, are you hurt?" Saturn asked.

"No," she shook her head. "Just drained." She took a huge steadying breath. "What was THAT all about?"

* * *

"IT WASN'T ME!" Minako proclaimed loudly and vociferously to the assembly of people in her quarters.

"We know it wasn't you, Minako," Endymion informed her. "Ami and I were with you at the time this happened."

"What, and you believe you two?" Minako quipped with a wry grin.

"We want," Endymion forged ahead, "to know if you know anything about it. Who it might be, perhaps?"

"I know it wasn't me," Minako replied. "Other than that, I can't help you."

"It wasn't Artemis and his holograms again, was it?" Makoto proposed.

"No, Artemis was in our quarters," Luna replied, then shot the poor white cat an acid look. "I can attest to that." Artemis grimaced and looked away.

"So who attacked the senshi?" Makoto asked.

"Maybe it was the real Lady Kitsune," Serenity wondered aloud.

"There is no real Lady Kitsune," Minako informed them. "I made her up. She was a - - a character I created back in the early twenty-first century. I shopped her around the studios as a - - well - - a 'comeback' role when my career hit the skids in the late 2020's. She never existed outside of my warped imagination."

"Well she exists now, Aunt Minako," Usa told her. "The woman we fought was real. She was fast and she was tricky. And she had a couple of new wrinkles from when you were playing her."

"Describe again what happened when she, um, well," Ami began, then hesitated uncomfortably. "When she - - pressed her mouth to yours." Minako's eyebrow shot up.

"She kissed me, Aunt Ami. You can say it," Usa assured her. "The minute we came in contact, it felt like all the energy drained out of my body. I got light-headed and really weak in the knees."

"If it had been a guy, it sounds like a hot date," Minako quipped. Rei shot her an impatient look.

"And how long did this sensation last?" Ami continued.

"After Pallas pulled her off of me, I was fine in a few minutes," Usa explained. "There doesn't seem to be any lasting weakness. I do feel a little wrung out I guess." Serenity instantly moved in and held her daughter.

"Hmm," Ami remarked. "Some sort of energy vampire, perhaps? The supernatural is more in your line, Rei."

"You think it's a demon or something?" Makoto asked.

"I'm inclined that way," Ami nodded. "The possibility exists that this being is some sort of alien life or perhaps some human mutation, but without corroborating evidence I'm inclined to look to the supernatural as statistically more likely."

"I can think of a few possibilities," Rei replied. "Is there some sort of surveillance footage of this woman we can look at?"

"I'll do a computer search of the street monitors," Endymion offered. "And I'll ask Civilian Protection and Defense to stop by the rink to see if they have anything from inside the building. I am curious about why this person chose to assume the Lady Kitsune identity. Have you discussed this with anyone, Minako?"

"Artemis is the only one I've talked to about Lady Kitsune since probably 2029," Minako told him. "Whoever it is, she had to have seen one of my fights with Usa in the last couple of days."

"Which indicates she has access to the palace," Ami concluded. Endymion frowned.

"That could be very possible," Rei murmured. The priest was deep in thought.

"You have something?" Ami prodded.

"Endymion, I'd really like to see that footage, if you can find it," was Rei's only response.

Usa exited Minako Aino's quarters with the rest. Once in the corridor, her friends and Helios gravitated to her. The dream guardian spread his arms and Usa eased against him.

"What's the word this time?" Ves prodded impatiently.

"It's somebody else," Usa told them. "Somebody potentially dangerous. We've got to stay on our toes."

"Agreed," Hotaru nodded. "And somebody's got to stay with you." Usa shot her a glance. "You were clearly her target, Usa."

"I can take care of myself," Usa protested.

"Yes, but it's our job to take care of you," Hotaru argued. "Remember what playing a lone hand did at D-Point."

Usa scowled. "All right," she relented. Then she brightened. "How about we have a sleep-over at my place?"

"Your dad's going to love that," smirked Ves.

"Palla-Palla would love that! Can we have popcorn?" Palla-Palla chimed in.

"Sure," Usa smiled. She looked up at Helios. "I'd like to have you there, too, but Pop would probably burst a blood vessel."

"I am but a call away, Maiden," he smiled, stroking her face. "And I have other things to occupy my time until needed."

"OK," Usa said as she slid away from her beau. "But let Ravonna monitor the dreams of all the pretty girls, huh?" Helios smiled and nodded and he was off.

"So you want to watch a vid-stream," Cere proposed as the six girls headed for Usa's quarters, "or do you want to just dish?"

"I'd like to know about what happened at D-Point," Ves said bluntly.

Hotaru noticed Usa tense.

Tucked into Usa's bedroom, Hotaru and the Asteroids listen to her relate the events of the battle at D-Point that Desdaemona forced them all to reenact. Since Hotaru knew the story already, her gaze would shift from her best friend to her comrades-in-arms. For their part, the Asteroids sat and silently listened with a mixture of rapt attention, surprise, and growing horror. For her part, Usa burned once more with the guilt and humiliation that she seemed to have buried during their extended battle with the first Lady Kitsune. Hotaru feared that opening the wound again would undo all the healing her friend had managed to do. She awaited the end of the tale anxiously.

"Wow," Cere whispered when the story finished. "We all - - died?"

"Yeah," Usa choked out.

The room was draped with an awkward silence. Hotaru glanced around. Cere looked like she'd been kicked in the gut. Jun was struggling to rationalize what she'd heard and not totally succeeding. Ves smoldered off to the side. Hotaru wanted to say something, but she didn't know what. What do you say to someone who's just seen a vision of her own grave?

And then Palla-Palla got up. Very purposefully, she crossed over to Usa, took the Princess in her arms and hugged her.

"Palla-Palla is very sorry for how bad you feel," she said, startling the room. "She hopes you feel better."

"Um," Usa stammered. She was surprised by the gesture. "Thanks - - but - - what about you? Don't you feel bad about what I did to you?"

"You didn't do it," Palla-Palla told her innocently. "It was Queen Metal-Lady that did it."

"Yeah, it's as much our fault for not keeping her off of you," Jun added. "That is our job."

"And at least we went down fighting," Ves said. She shrugged morosely. "Every day could be your last. That's Bushido. It's what we signed on for."

"And Palla-Palla is alive now, so everything is better," Palla-Palla told her. "And Queen Metal-Lady is gone. Now we have to con . . . um . . . pay attention to Lady Foxy. That's what Miss Ami-Ma'am and Miss Rei-Ma'am tell Palla-Palla all the time, that she has to pay attention to what she's doing now and not think about other things like Bun-Bun San and Long Neck San from Miss Yumi-chan Ma'am's program."

And she said it with such earnest conviction that Usa could only stare at her for a moment, wondering if she was truly serious. Finally the Princess realized that she was serious and that was why she was Palla-Palla and why she was such a treasure of innocence and hope.

"I think you've stunned her, Palla-Palla," Cere chuckled, her own anxiety eased.

"Palla-Palla's sorry," the teen offered. "She didn't mean to do whatever she did."

"Yes you did," Usa smiled, looking down and putting a hand on Palla-Palla's shoulder. "And it was the right thing to do. Thank you."

"You're very welcomed, Princess!" Palla-Palla beamed. The entire exchange seemed to lift a weight off of everybody.

Usa thought a moment. "OK, enough dishing. How about a vid-stream?"

"Love story!" shouted Cere.

"Hell no! Action flick!" scowled Ves.

"CARTOON!" cried Palla-Palla.

"Jun?" Usa asked.

"Personally," Jun reflected, "I'd like something with action and romance. And maybe a sports theme."

"Way to be decisive, Jun," muttered Ves.

"Hotaru?" Usa asked.

"Oh," Hotaru grimaced, "whatever you want."

"HOTARU!" Usa howled impatiently.

"Ohhhhh!" Hotaru fumed. "Well - - a musical would be nice."

"Yeah, a period musical!" cried Cere.

"Twenty-first Century!" Jun added.

"With Aino-Sama in the cast!" chortled Ves.

"Hmm. Let's see what we can find," smirked Usa. She pulled over her work station and programmed the parameters in. Miraculously, the computer returned "Princess Kagura's Lament", made in 2086. Usa selected it and cued the film up. "And I'm sending down an order to the kitchen for popcorn and drinks for six."

"Can't we see a cartoon first?" whined Palla-Palla. Cere looked at her disdainfully while the others just rolled their eyes.

"OK, ONE cartoon," Usa relented. Palla-Palla clapped and chortled with glee while the others got comfortable. For now, memories of D-D Girls, D-Point and evil queens - - and for the moment the looming specter of Lady Kitsune - - were forgotten, lost in the resiliency and invincibility of youth.

Continued in Chapter 10


	10. Howling At The Moon

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 10: "Howling At The Moon"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Diana padded into the Princess's bedroom as softly as she could, her yellow eyes illuminated in the low light. She could see Usa was in her bed, with her friends circled around the teen in portable sleeping units - - sleeping bags in the twentieth century, though more improved over their older selves. The cat smiled as she noticed the discarded popcorn bags and drink containers. Teenage girls will be teenage girls, no matter what the calling.

To her surprise, Ves suddenly rolled out of her unit into a defensive crouch.

"Forgive me for disturbing you," Diana spoke up softly. Ves eased. "Although I'm at a loss to know just how you knew I was here."

"When you've been some of the places I've been," Ves said, rolling back on her heels, "you develop a sense for those things. Everything look clear?"

"Yes," Diana replied. "There has been no sighting of Lady Kitsune, that we're aware of. There is the possibility that she can enter the palace in disguise. That can't be discounted, if one assumes she has the same abilities that Aino-San possesses. At the moment, nothing in the palace seems amiss."

"Yeah," Ves mumbled. Diana could hear that the news didn't seem to please the girl.

"What's up?" mumbled Jun through the haze of post-sleep. The teen stirred in her unit.

"Nothing. Just Diana," Ves whispered. "Go back to sleep."

"OK. You too, huh," Jun said and snuggled back into her unit.

Diana could see Ves nod absently. But she also saw the girl remain crouched, unmoving, for longer than she should have. Ves was thinking about something, considering a course of action that Diana wasn't certain might be a good idea, knowing Ves. Finally, though, Ves slid back into her unit. Taking that as a sign that the crisis had passed, Diana leaped up onto Usa's bed and took her customary spot at her friend's feet.

* * *

Rei entered the conference room. Sitting assembled were the Royal Family, all of the Elder Senshi, all of the Younger Senshi, and the cats. She took her place at the head of the room, flanked by Endymion on a computer terminal. Before she could speak, though, Minako leaned in to the others.

"I've called you all here tonight because," Minako said facetiously, then paused dramatically, "ONE of you is the murderer." Serenity and Makoto giggled involuntarily. Several of the Asteroids just looked puzzled by the dated reference. Rei gave Minako a death glare, then regained her composure.

"I've called," Rei began, then stopped when she realized what she was about to say. Giving Minako another glare, she began again. "I've been reviewing the surveillance footage we caught of Lady Kitsune. I'm pretty certain I know what we're dealing with now." She nodded to Endymion and he brought up the footage on the screen behind Rei. "Look at Lady Kitsune in this footage. Focus on her lower half, particularly between her legs."

"It's kind of bulgy," Serenity commented.

"Lady Kitsune's a guy?" Minako asked.

"If I could slap you just once," Rei muttered to herself.

"She's not a guy, Aunt Minako," Usa said. "Believe me."

"Then what is it, Hino-Sensei?" Jun asked.

"It's a tail," Rei told them.

"A TAIL?" practically everybody responded. Palla-Palla just giggled at the idea.

"I believe this Lady Kitsune is a fox spirit," Rei began. "Fox spirits have the ability to mimic human form. However, they can't disguise their tails."

"Palla-Palla's premonition," Ves murmured, looking at Jun and Cere. They both nodded solemnly.

"So why is this fox spirit stealing my act?" Minako asked, incensed.

"She probably saw it as an easy form to mimic and achieve her goal," Rei explained, "which is to get close to Usa. She could have tried mimicking a real person, but that would have been a much more complex task and may have been beyond her skill level."

"But how did she even know about Lady Kitsune?" Endymion inquired. "All of the confrontations between her and us were limited to the inside of the palace."

"Fox spirits are infamous for seeking shelter inside of homes," Rei continued. "They usually seek out empty rooms or live in attics, away from the home owner. Don't worry, Endymion, you wouldn't have seen her and your security system wouldn't have detected her. But now that I've been alerted to her, I have detected a faint presence here and there in the upper levels of the palace. She probably observed one of the confrontations between Usa and Minako and copied Minako's Lady Kitsune identity for herself."

"Well, that's all fine," Makoto interjected. "What does she want with Usa?"

Rei sighed uncomfortably. "The greatest ambition a fox spirit has is to attain human form permanently. There are two ways for them to do this. One is to conduct a rite of worship under a full moon and absorb the essence of the moon. By doing this, they will gradually achieve permanent human form." Rei grimaced. "But while that method doesn't harm anyone, it can take several centuries to become fully human."

"And the other way?" Ami asked, fascinated.

Rei exhaled. "Female fox spirits have been known to assume the form of a beautiful woman and seduce a man into intimacy. Through that method, they absorb the man's energy and take it for their own. Once the fox spirit has seduced enough men, she attains human form."

"And the men?" Cere asked.

"Depending on how much energy the fox spirit steals, it can leave the victim with either a prolonged sickness, permanent disability - - or sometimes dead," Rei detailed. Serenity gasped. "I'm assuming that this spirit has decided to make Usa a target because of her huge energy potential and her connection to the moon, instead of any physical attraction. She probably figures that taking Sailor Moon's energy would allow her to attain humanity in one shot."

"Well that's terrible!" gasped Serenity.

"Don't get the wrong idea," Rei cautioned. "Fox spirits are usually benign, aside from an occasional mischievous streak. They can even be beneficial to a household they've taken a liking to. But the thought of attaining humanity is a powerful temptation for them," and Rei paused for emphasis, "and if you handle them the wrong way, they can be VERY vindictive."

"What would you suggest be our course of action?" Endymion questioned the priest.

"I can search the entire palace," Rei said. "Now that I'm attuned to the spirit's presence, I know what I'm looking for. At least one senshi should be along with me in case the spirit turns on me."

"But Usa and I were attacked on The Promenade," Hotaru piped up. "Will we have to scour the whole city?"

"The spirit's willingness to leave the palace was only because Usa was out," Rei explained. "She's stalking Usa, so if Usa stays in the palace, she'll be in the palace. And that's why at least one senshi has to be with Usa at all times."

"She can stay with me," Serenity offered.

"No," Rei said quickly. "We can't risk the fox spirit turning on you as a target if she can't get to Usa. It has to be one of the senshi. And you have to be as far away from her as possible, Serenity."

"All right," frowned Serenity.

"Everybody knows what to do," Endymion said, taking control of the meeting. "Hotaru, I'd like you to stay with Usa. The Asteroids, if not with Usa, need to be close by."

"I'll tag along with Rei," Makoto offered. "Ami's busy and Blondie would probably incite her to murder."

"She makes it too easy. Can I help it?" Minako shrugged while Rei ground her teeth.

"You should probably stay with Serenity," Rei told Minako. "Between you and Endymion, it should be enough protection. I really don't anticipate the fox spirit coming after her anyway. Come on, Makoto. Let's get started."

* * *

Ves paced the floor of their quarters. Palla-Palla played with her dolls, oblivious to everything, while Jun and Cere passed the time and tried to ignore Ves.

"Gods, will you SIT DOWN!" Cere finally fumed.

"I hate waiting like this!" barked Ves. "I hate waiting for Lady Kitsune to strike!"

"Well, we don't have much choice," Jun answered.

"The Hell we don't! I bet I could track her down!"

"Hino-Sensei is already doing that," Cere replied thinly.

"Well letting Lady Kitsune dictate when and where she strikes puts us at a disadvantage!" Ves argued. "We don't know where she'll come from or when! If we take the fight to her, we put her on the defensive! We keep her from having the chance to attack Usa, maybe even take her down and eliminate the threat!"

"I have to admit: She has a point," frowned Jun, glancing at Cere.

"Don't say that. You'll just encourage her," Cere scowled.

A movement from Ves caught the attention of the others. They saw she had her henshin stick out.

"Ves!" Cere began to exclaim.

"Vesta Star Power Make Up!" she cried and transformed into Sailor Vesta. Palla-Palla put down her dolls.

"What are you going to do?" Jun demanded.

"Look for Lady Kitsune," Vesta replied. "Fauna assimilation - - Red Fox!" Instantly the senshi transformed into a fox. "I figure one fox can sniff out another fox. You coming?"

"Palla-Palla will come!" the teen said, bounding up out of her corner. "Palla-Palla can help you look for Lady Foxy!"

"You're on, Stupid. Get transformed," Vesta-fox said. She turned to the others. "Jun?"

"I really think I should stay close, in case the Princess needs me," Jun concluded.

"Makes sense," the fox nodded. "Priss?"

"STOP CALLING ME 'PRISS'!" snapped Cere. "I'm staying with Jun. You'll probably end up getting in the way anyway."

"Suit yourself," Vesta-fox said. "Come on, Pallas. Let's hunt us down a fox spirit."

Pallas nodded and obediently followed the fox out the door. Cere looked at Jun.

"Think she'll find Lady Kitsune?" Cere asked.

"It's worth a shot," shrugged Jun. "And besides, now we don't have to watch her pace."

"You always find the bright side," smirked Cere.

Out in the corridor, Pallas dutifully trailed behind Vesta. As they passed a pair of palace maintenance workers, their presence made the workers turn and look curiously. Suddenly Pallas looked over her shoulder at them.

"It's not a real foxy, it's just Vesta," she told them and continued following the fox as she sniffed along the floor. The two workers looked at each other. When they couldn't find an answers in the other's gaze, they both continued on their way.

"Stop reading the maintenance workers' thoughts and concentrate on Lady Kitsune," Vesta said, her nose twitching between the floor and the side wall. Her shoulders were hunched and her long thick red and black tail grazed the floor behind her.

"Yes, Vesta," Pallas nodded. She closed her eyes, but quickly realized that she couldn't do that and see where she was walking. Opening her eyes again, Pallas instead tried to concentrate on sensing Lady Kitsune without closing her eyes. Her face twisted up.

"Anything?" Vesta asked after a while.

"No, Vesta," Pallas reported. "Pallas can't always hear someone's thoughts when she tries to hear them - - especially a stranger."

"All right. Keep trying," Vesta replied.

"Can you smell her, Vesta?"

"I get a fox scent, but it's not recent," Vesta answered. "She's been here, but I don't know where she is now."

The caravan continued on.

"Vesta?" Pallas inquired.

"Yeah?" Vesta replied, her nose and her concentration on the floors and the walls.

"Do you miss him?"

"Miss who?" Vesta asked absently.

"The boy you like," Pallas explained. "The one from over the sea?"

"Over the sea?" Vesta stopped, confused by the question. "You mean Carlton?"

"Yes," Pallas nodded. "Do you miss Mister Sea-Carlton?"

Vesta went back to her tracking. "He was fun."

Pallas stared at her.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing more of him," Vesta elaborated. "He was - - nice." She nosed around an entrance. "But he's in North America. No sense thinking about it. No sense wanting what you can't have."

Suddenly Pallas reached down and stroked along Vesta's fox coat.

"Pallas is sorry," she murmured sympathetically. Vesta looked away.

"Stop peeking in my head," Vesta grumbled.

"Maybe Mister Sea-Carlton will come back some day," Pallas offered optimistically.

"Yeah," Vesta grunted. Then she brightened. "Or maybe I can visit him." A sly grin formed on the fox's mouth.

On another level of the palace, Rei and Makoto were walking slowly down a corridor. Garbed in her priest's robes, Rei cautiously padded down the hall, her left arm bent up and her left hand before her face, the first two fingers extended. Her right arm was folded across her middle to support her left arm.

"Anything?" Makoto asked.

"Nothing yet," Rei responded. "I can sense her lingering presence, but nothing strong. She probably knows we're searching for her. It could drive her into hiding."

"That's good. At least she's not attacking Usa."

"Or it could drive her to attack faster," Rei added.

"That's not so good." Makoto and Rei walked a few paces further. "So, have you ever met one of these fox spirits?"

"Once," Rei said, trying to divide her concentration. "It was a long time ago. Back when I was going to college, there was one in the attic of the rooming house I was living in." Rei grinned nostalgically. "The poor thing was terrified when we finally tracked it down. There it was, face to face with half a dozen divinity students who thought they knew everything and were hot to prove that they could exorcise a fox spirit. Finally the rooming house manager, who was this little sixty year old spitfire, stopped us. She knew the fox spirit lived there and watched over the place, keeping it safe from lowlifes. And after a while, we all got to be friends with the spirit." Rei glanced at Makoto. "Although there was never any left over pizza or sushi in the morning. The fox spirit saw to that."

"Guy or girl?" Makoto asked.

"Guy. He was kind of cute, too," Rei said, then added, "In the stuffed animal kind of way, not the 'date material' way."

"Gotcha," Makoto nodded. Rei stopped suddenly. "Something?" Makoto asked, alerted.

"She's in the palace," Rei said softly, staring out into space. Then she burst into a run. "She's on the move!"

"Jupiter Millennium Power Make Up!" Makoto shouted, transforming on the run as she kept on Rei's heels.

Back with Vesta and Pallas, they had made it to a point approaching the Royal Chambers. Vesta was still sniffing persistently while Pallas diligently concentrated, trying to catch a sense of their quarry.

"This isn't working," Vesta mused. "Maybe I should change into a bloodhound - - or a fox hound. Yeah, that would be the trick."

"Vesta," Pallas said suddenly. Vesta turned and saw Pallas seemed uneasy.

"You sense something?"

"Yes," Pallas responded. "But Pallas isn't sure what it is. She heard a thought - - but she's not sure if it's a people."

"That's probably her!" Vesta exclaimed. "You know what direction it came from?"

Pallas nodded and pointed to her left, behind her.

"That's near the Royal Chambers!" Vesta yipped, bounding past Pallas down the corridor. "It's got to be her, Pallas! She's making her move! Come on!"

"Should Pallas call Juno and Ceres?" Pallas asked as she ran to keep up with the fox bounding down the corridor.

"Not yet! Not until we're sure it's her!" Vesta responded.

She stopped suddenly and sniffed all around. Pallas came to a stop behind her and looked on curiously.

"I'm getting something," Vesta said. "She's been here - - recently. Come on!"

Again the pair raced down the corridor. As they approached a junction leading to the Royal Chambers, Vesta suddenly caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. There was a sudden burst of light.

Continued in Chapter 11


	11. A Life For A Dream

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 11: "A Life For A Dream"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

In the quarters of the Princess Usagi, Usa was sitting cross-legged on her bed. Diana was stretched out across the foot of her bed and Usa was stroking her head and back. Every time the girl's hand ran down Diana's back, the cat would contort her body in a different direction. Not to mention the fact that the cat was purring so loudly she sounded like rumbling thunder.

Beside the bed, on the teen Princess's computer station, Hotaru sat and stared at the screen, beaming with love. On the screen, Yutaka was engaged in a real time transmission to her. Hotaru had engaged the monitor camera, so the two young lovers were conversing back and forth. Usa would glance at them from time to time and smile.

"And I thought you were going all the way to The European Union to study," Hotaru grinned meekly.

"Oh, Hotaru," Yutaka chuckled, almost in a paternal fashion. "Sometimes you can be so twentieth century."

"Yeah," Hotaru blushed. "But Usa explained it to me." She cast her eyes down as a smile grew on her mouth.

"I wondered what was wrong with you," Yutaka continued. "I thought you were probably worried about the Princess, like you always are."

Hotaru shot a timid glance at her best friend. Usa returned it with a smirk.

"I'm glad you're not leaving."

"I could never leave you," Yutaka told her, earnestly baring his soul to her. "I wouldn't be able to learn anything. All I'd be thinking about was you."

"Really?" Hotaru asked. It was almost like a sigh and it caused Usa to look up. Hotaru was staring at the screen so intently and with such a look of abject devotion, Usa thought that if Yutaka had been in the room at that moment, Hotaru would have jumped him - - whether Usa was in the room or not.

"I wish I could see you tonight," Yutaka said, his ache in his voice. "But it's probably better that I don't. I've got a lot of studying to do tonight."

"Yeah," Hotaru replied, sympathetic but still dejected.

"My Lady," Diana said, looking up to see why Usa had stopped stroking. The Princess was staring at the two lovebirds with a silly grin on her face. "My Lady, you've stopped stroking."

"Uh huh," Usa replied absently.

"Hmm," scowled the cat. She got to her feet. "Well, it was pleasant while it lasted." She stepped over to the edge of the bed and leaped to the floor.

"I better get back to studying," Yutaka said. "Call me when you've finished with your case. I want to know you're OK."

"Yeah," Hotaru nodded dreamily. Only when the connection severed did she come down to Earth. Her shoulders slumped and her face drooped forlornly. "Oh Usa, I want him so badly!"

"Been there, done that," Usa grinned. She blew at her pink bangs. "It's weird, though. This thing with Lady Kitsune, and my - - well - - obsession with perfection before that - - and D-Point before that - - has really changed things between me and Helios."

"You're not breaking up, are you?" Hotaru gasped.

"No, nothing like that," Usa said, shaking her head. "I've just," and she searched for how to put it, "I don't know, gotten some perspective. I love Helios, as much as I love Mom or Dad, or-or you. If I lost him - - well, I know what it would feel like, because I lost him at D-Point. But I think I've learned that there are other things in life besides being in love. And if you only think about being in love and let everything else slide," and Usa grew somber, "some day you can end up in a place you might not want to be in. And you won't know how to get yourself out."

The two teens sat silently.

"Well that's a bummer," Hotaru said. Usa bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Yeah. I'm beginning to wonder if growing up was such a great idea," Usa replied.

Just then, the sounds of battle sprang up outside of the Royal Chambers. Instantly both girls perked up and turned to the sounds. Usa sprang off her bed and headed for the door, but Hotaru got there first and barred the way.

"No, Usa," Hotaru told her firmly. "I'll look. Saturn Crystal Power Make Up!"

While Hotaru transformed, Usa stuck her hand into the air. She shivered when a hand grasped it. Turning, she found Helios there once again. He gazed at her tenderly for a moment, then they combined and transformed into Sailor Moon.

Her glaive at the ready, Sailor Saturn eased open the door and peered out into the corridor.

* * *

Vesta, still in fox form, and Pallas were running down a corridor toward the Royal Chambers. Pallas was struggling to keep up with Vesta, as her short, stubby legs weren't ideal for running fast - - and Vesta did have four to her two.

"You sensing anything, Pallas?" Vesta called back.

"Um," Pallas began, trying to probe with her mind and concentrate on running at the same time. "Pallas can sense Miss Rei-Ma'am nearby! Pallas thinks she's looking for Lady Foxy, too!"

"Now I know we're close," Vesta murmured.

"Miss Makoto-Ma'am is with her, too!" Pallas added.

Vesta passed the corner and into the junction corridor that led to the Royal Chambers.

"Jupiter! Oak Evolution!" echoed down the corridor, followed by electrical bursts exploding all around Vesta. The fox danced and dove, trying to avoid the biting electrical bursts that surrounded her. Pallas got to the junction and gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

"KINO-SENSEI, IT'S ME!" Vesta bellowed. One of the electrical bursts got too close and knocked Vesta to the floor.

"Vesta?" Sailor Jupiter shouted in surprise. She and Rei ran up to the fallen fox. "Kid, I'm sorry! I saw a fox and thought it was Lady Kitsune!"

"Vesta, are you all right?" screeched Pallas. She knelt down next to the fox.

"I'll make it," grunted the fox, trying to regain her feet. "Feels like I got punched in the gut, though."

"Sorry," Jupiter offered again.

"What are you two doing out here anyway?" demanded Rei. By now Saturn was peering out of the door to Usa's quarters.

"Same thing as you," gasped Vesta, releasing her transformation and returning to human form. "Looking for Lady Kitsune!"

"You were told to stay on stand-by!" barked Rei.

"Stand-by is boring!" Vesta barked back. "And the sooner we find this thing and end this, the better everybody will be - - SENSEI!"

Rei was about to reply, but a hand from Jupiter on her shoulder held her back. She looked back at Jupiter.

"Let it go," Jupiter shook her head. "Say, you don't think you were sensing Vesta instead of Lady Kitsune were you?"

"Please," Rei replied archly. "I'm not an amateur at this. She's around here somewhere." Rei cautiously looked around, seeing more than a normal human could see. "But fox spirits are very good at concealing themselves when pressed. She's here. I just can't pinpoint her."

"Pallas?" Vesta turned to her sister senshi. Pallas closed her eyes and probed again.

"Sorry, Vesta," Pallas shook her head.

Inside her quarters, Sailor Moon peered over Saturn's shoulder.

"What happened?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Jupiter attacked Vesta, thinking she was Lady Kitsune," Saturn reported. "Vesta seems to be all right."

"Good."

"Hino-San is saying that Lady Kitsune is in the area," Saturn looked back anxiously.

"I wish she'd make her move," Sailor Moon muttered. "The suspense is killing me. And being cooped up in my room is a drag."

"An odd statement, considering your behavior the past month, Maiden," Sailor Moon heard Helios say in her mind.

"Ha ha," Sailor Moon return thought cynically. "Helios, do you know anything about this Lady Kitsune that could help us?"

"I am familiar with fox spirits in general, Maiden," Helios replied. "I know only what you know about this particular one."

Sailor Moon turned and paced away from Saturn while her friend stood watch at the door. Unseen by either of them, a form seemed to rise up out of a shadow cast by a desk into the corner of the room. The form was dressed in loose black clothing covering her entire form and cinched by a belt. When the form materialized from the shadow into full human form, she crept unseen along the wall toward Sailor Saturn.

Saturn's first realization that someone else was in the room was when a gloved hand clamped over her nose and mouth. She started to struggle and cry out, but a sickly sweet vapor overwhelmed her. In seconds Saturn's senses were swimming and she crumpled to the floor. Diana whirled and hissed, arching her back angrily. Sailor Moon turned and found Lady Kitsune in the room, allowing Saturn to slip to the floor as she carved a kanji into the door with clawed fingers from an uncovered hand. The woman in black turned to Sailor Moon and pulled off her hood.

Her features were stunningly beautiful, with creamy pale skin, a small ruby mouth, long aquiline nose and dark, penetrating eyes. Her hair was russet, a trait left over no doubt from her true fox heritage. She smiled hungrily at Sailor Moon. It wasn't a malicious smile. It was the smile of someone who was in sight of a precious goal. Unfortunately that goal was the syphoning of Sailor Moon's energy.

"SHE'S IN USA'S ROOM!" Sailor Moon could hear Rei screech outside the door.

"Rei Hino requests . . . ZZZZZT!" came the report from the environmental control computer before it shorted out.

"QUICK, HIT THE OVERRIDE!" she heard Jupiter yell.

"I CAN'T! IT WON'T WORK!" Rei yelled back.

* * *

Back in the Asteroids' quarters, Cere and Jun tried to keep busy.

"What do you think of maroon eyeshadow?" Cere asked. She turned to Jun while holding a small crystal projector under her face. This displayed a holographic pattern on her face that corresponded with the program on her computer station. It allowed her to try different makeup combinations without actually putting the makeup on.

"Well it's more subtle than what you usually wear," Jun commented as she balanced on two hands on the seat of her chair. Maintaining her balance while looking at Cere, Jun lifted one leg forward and one leg back until they were parallel to the floor.

"I know. I'm trying for a more mature look," Cere replied. She looked back at a mirror and frowned at what she saw.

"Red eyeshadow is mature?" Jun questioned.

"I like red!" Cere shot back. "I know I tend to favor scarlet over maroon, but scarlet is just too vibrant for a mature look, you know?"

"What about brown?" Jun asked patiently, while moving her legs from forward and back to a side-to-side split.

"Jun - - dirt is brown," scowled Cere.

"You're the plant girl. I thought you'd like dirt," chuckled Jun.

"To grow plants in, not to wear," Cere huffed. "This isn't something to joke about, Jun. A girl's look is important. You could stand a little fixing up yourself."

"I do all right," Jun murmured.

"You could do better."

"Look, if some guy wants a painted face, he can get a mannequin head and paint it himself. I want someone who's a little deeper than that," Jun responded.

"Oh yeah, like Quadrel? He was real deep," Cere raised an eyebrow.

"You had to go there, didn't you?" Jun glared.

"Don't bite my head off if the truth hurts," Cere sniffed haughtily. "It's all about having the best lure, Jun. My philosophy is get them in the net first. Then you can throw out the ones who don't measure up."

"I'm not sure if you're talking romance or fishing," snickered Jun.

Their senshi communicators signaled simultaneously. But before they had a chance to pop them open, both girls felt an overwhelming sensation in their heads.

"Come quick, come quick!" they felt Pallas thinking telepathically. "The Princess is in trouble! Come to her room now!"

Jun did a back flip off of the chair while Cere burst up from hers. The two teens barreled out the door, transforming into their senshi forms on the run.

Inside Usa's room, Sailor Moon got into a defensive crouch, ready for anything Lady Kitsune might launch. The woman stood at the door, her body language shouting how much anticipation ran through her.

"What did you do?" Sailor Moon demanded.

"Sealed us off from the outside world," the fox spirit replied, licking her lips in expectation. "I'm finished with being interrupted."

"How?"

"Fox magic," the fox spirit replied. She began to walk toward Sailor Moon. "It's a spell to seal off a room from human eyes. It allows us to live with humans in their homes and not be detected. It isn't very strong. I sense the priest outside and I'm sure she will be able to penetrate it - - eventually."

Sailor Moon's hand shot out and materialized the Moon Kaleidoscope. She leveled the weapon at Lady Kitsune. And suddenly her target was upon Sailor Moon, seizing the senshi's wrists in a grip of steel. The Moon Kaleidoscope tumbled from her grasp and skittered along the floor. Sailor Moon struggled to maintain her position, struggled to keep from being pushed onto her back. There was a moment when she experienced a twinge of panic. It was just like what happened with Queen Metallia. Sailor Moon was struggling with all her might to keep from being overwhelmed, and the fear that she wouldn't be able to succeed clutched at her heart like icy fingers.

And then all the training she'd received from her four cherished aunts kicked in: clear thinking from Ami, heart from Makoto, courage from Minako and the will to succeed from Rei. And another thing she got from her Aunt Makoto kicked in, too. Wedging her leg between herself and the fox spirit, Sailor Moon flung herself to the floor on her back and kicked out with the wedged leg. Momentum sent the fox spirit flipping over Sailor Moon and into space. Instantly Sailor Moon scrambled to her feet, but the fox spirit was already up.

"Retrieve your weapon, My Lady!" Diana shouted as she landed on the back of Lady Kitsune's head, claws out.

Pivoting, Sailor Moon lunged for the fallen Moon Kaleidoscope. The painful howl of the fox spirit echoed in her ears. As she grasped her talisman, she saw Diana rocket across the room and land awkwardly on her bed. Without looking, she swung around and pointed the Kaleidoscope.

"Moon Gorgeous . . .!" she began. But a bola swung around her hand, its momentum throwing off her aim. The impact of the weapon knocked the Kaleidoscope away again and wrapped around Sailor Moon's torso, pinning her arms to her body. Sailor Moon toppled to the floor. A second later, the fox spirit was crouched over her, hands pressed to the floor on either side of Sailor Moon's head.

"Give me your energy!" the fox spirit demanded with a lustful tone born of desperation.

Outside, Rei was pressed against the wall opposite from the door. Her head was in her hands and she was deep in concentration. Pressed to the wall was one of her wards.

"Rei?" Sailor Jupiter prodded.

"I'm trying, Jupiter!" Rei snapped. "It's a tough barrier to break through! This fox spirit is desperate to hold us off and that desperation is feeding the barrier!"

"I've tried every insect form I can think of," Vesta howled, "but I can't slip between that door!" She looked to her sister senshi for help.

"Maybe a concentrated water burst can push the door in!" Juno reasoned. "Aqua Initiation!"

A water tube in the wall burst and sent a concentrated gusher against the door. In less than a minute, the corridor was flooded for yards in both directions, but the door held.

"Stop it, Juno," Rei ordered. "Water isn't going to do this. Fire is." She turned to Sailor Pallas. "Pallas, do you see that ward on the door?" Pallas nodded. "Set it on fire."

Uncertain of what she was doing, Sailor Pallas turned and stared intently at the ward.

"Fiery Incantation!" she yelled.

Immediately the ward burst into flame. But instead of burning, the ward took on a glow. The more it sat in the fire that fed off of something other than the fireproofing material coating the door, the brighter it glowed. Quickly the illumination filled the hall. The fire spread out from the ward until it encompassed the entire door, again without burning anything.

"Is it working?" shouted Jupiter.

"Give it a little longer!" Rei shouted back over the crackle of the fire. "When I say so, dive through the fire!"

"YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING!" roared Vesta.

Before Rei could reply, though, King Endymion was suddenly there before them. Ignoring the fire on the door, the king drew his sword even as his black battle armor materialized on his form. With one mighty stroke, his sword cleaved the door and it fell away into the room.

Endymion was first into the room, followed by everyone else. They were amazed at what they found.

Concluded in Chapter 12


	12. The Challenge

THE CHALLENGE OF LADY KITSUNE

Chapter 12: "The Challenge"

A neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Endymion stared. Rei and Jupiter stared. The Asteroids stared. From over on Usa's bed, Diana stared. Saturn was still unconscious, or she would have stared.

They all stared.

Sailor Moon sat on the floor, her legs at awkward angles. Her face was flung up toward the ceiling and the crescent moon birthmark on her forehead had appeared. It was visible through her tiara, for the birthmark was emitting an intense shaft of pink light up, to and through the ceiling itself. Surrounding Sailor Moon in a circle was a softer, dimmer pink light also traveling from the floor to the ceiling. The shaft of light twinkled and shimmered when dust particles passed into its field. Her trails of pink hair fluttered upward, whipping through displaced air currents.

From the shaft of light, pink tendrils extended out. They held Lady Kitsune up in the air, a tendril locked around each wrist and ankle. The fox spirit was splayed spread-eagle, held rigid in the air, so rigidly that she couldn't move despite the strain evident in the muscles of her limbs. Another tendril wrapped around her throat and Lady Kitsune flung her head back, arching under the choking pressure at her neck.

"What's going on?" gasped Ceres.

"It's her fear response," Rei whispered in awe and alarm. "Ever since she was a little girl, this has happened whenever she's been in mortal terror."

Endymion moved forward, reaching for his daughter to try to comfort her and allay her fears. But when he touched the light, a burst of energy flung him back. The others caught and braced him.

"Pallas, can you establish contact with Sailor Moon telepathically?" Jupiter asked hastily.

"Pallas can try," the blue senshi offered. Her eyes clamped shut and her brow furrowed. The senshi's face twisted trying to break through the psychic interference Sailor Moon's fear response was throwing up.

And inside the heart of Sailor Moon, Helios mentally caressed her mind.

"Maiden," he said desperately. "Calm yourself. The threat is over."

"No!" Sailor Moon mentally gasped. "Not again! It's not going to happen again!"

"This is not Metallia, Maiden. Pull back. Your power reaches dangerous levels. And I fear for the life of the fox spirit you restrain."

"It's not going to happen again! It's not going to happen again!"

"Would you kill her, Maiden?"

"She won't be a threat! It will end any chance of that!"

"So, too, may mercy, Maiden."

"How can you be sure, Helios? How can you be sure? How?"

"Faith. Faith in the fact that you have the strength to bestow mercy and not concern yourself with such things as reprisals. And faith that the receipt of such a gift will inspire gratitude and a desire to emulate such charity toward others."

"But what if . . .?"

"Maiden. Either you believe - - or you do not."

In the real world, Sailor Pallas shook her head. "Pallas is sorry. The Princess is too scared to listen. She can hear Prince Horsie-Man trying to make The Princess feel better, but all The Princess can say is 'Not again'."

"Endymion?" they all heard Serenity gasp from the hall. Venus was with her. "What's happening?" Serenity pushed into the room, then reined up when she saw Sailor Moon.

"Lady Kitsune must have attacked her and triggered the fear response," Endymion summarized.

"Oh my goodness!" Serenity exclaimed.

She reached out and touched the shaft of pink light, then flinched back as the energy bit her. Resolution then filled the queen and she jammed her hands against the barrier. Energy sparked from the field where her hands touched, but Serenity persevered. She would break the barrier and get to her child.

And then it wasn't there. Serenity flopped forward awkwardly and caught herself before she could face-plant into the floor. Lady Kitsune dropped to the floor and sprawled like a broken doll. Rei moved in to check her - - and bind her spiritually if the need arose. And Sailor Moon? Her shoulders slumped and her head bent forward. She seemed to shudder. Endymion knelt down next to her, his hands steadying on her shoulders.

"Honey?" he softly inquired.

"Pop," she softly acknowledged. Meekly Sailor Moon turned to Rei. "Did I . . . did I kill her?"

"No, Muffin," Rei shook her head. "She's still with us."

By now Serenity had moved in on Sailor Moon's other side, lending all the comfort she could supply.

"I would have," stammered Sailor Moon in horror. "I was going to . . . going to kill her. I was so terrified of-of Queen Metallia happening all over again. I was going to . . ."

"But you didn't," Serenity told her with that loving, assuring coo her voice took on at times like these.

"Because Helios stopped me," murmured Sailor Moon, "again."

"Well," Serenity offered, stroking her daughter's hair, "you were smart enough to listen."

Sailor Moon digested this for a few moments. Then her hand came up and caught Serenity's hand.

"Thanks Mom," Sailor Moon whispered sheepishly.

* * *

When the fox spirit who had masqueraded as Lady Kitsune regained consciousness, she found herself surrounded by the Royal Family, the inner senshi, the outer senshi, the Asteroid Senshi and three cats. Moreover, her facade as a human had receded when she was unconscious. Her face was that of a large red fox, her body humanoid, but covered in fur.

Her first inclination was to bolt the room. However, she found that she couldn't move. Her copper eyes shifted to the right and spotted the sutra dangling from the side of her head, robbing her of voluntary function. Her eyes also caught sight of the priest kneeling beside her, staring intently with violet eyes that seemed to penetrate to her very core.

"Mercy, Sensei," the fox spirit whimpered.

"Do you have a name?" Rei asked as the others looked on.

"Moriko," the fox spirit mumbled, "Sensei."

"How long have you lived here?"

"Mere months, Sensei. I will leave if you wish! Just - - please do not slay me."

"No one is going to hurt you, Moriko," Serenity said, leaning into the fox spirit's view. "We only want to know why. Why would you attack Sailor Moon?"

"I," Moriko began. "I wished - - to become human, Queen Serenity. It is all I have ever wished for. All I have ever cared about. I see how the humans in this hearth interact. It made me long to be like you all." Moriko's mood darkened. "I know the tales among my kind. To steal the essence of a human can bring death." Her eyes began to moisten. "But the Ritual Of The Moon takes so long! I could not bear the length!"

Everyone watched her with countenances ranging from sympathetic to skeptical.

"And then I saw Sailor Moon," Moriko continued. "She had so much essence. More than anyone I have ever known, save yourself. And she was of the moon itself! I thought," and Moriko clutched up, her shame and regret wedging momentarily in her throat, "that she had so much essence - - that it would not harm her if I - - stole - - some. Enough to become human. Enough to become a pale shade of what she is."

Unable to move, Moriko's eyes shifted from the floor up to where Serenity and Usa sat.

"Oh I beg you, Princess of the Moon, forgive me!" Moriko exclaimed. "I am truly sorry for my actions! It was wrong, what I did! I know that now. I'm," and her gaze dropped back to the floor, "free of the madness that took hold of my mind."

"You're saying you didn't intentionally attack the Princess Usagi?" Endymion asked.

"I was," Moriko fumbled through her feelings, "overwhelmed - - by the lure of my dream. I saw a quick route to my goal. I thought I could steal what I needed and not harm the Princess. My conscience told me it was wrong - - but I was too focused on the prize to listen."

"How old are you?"

The question came from Usa and took everyone by surprise, Moriko most of all. The fox spirit's eyes bulged, then focused again on the floor.

"Majesty, I," Moriko began, then stopped. Her demeanor became resigned. "Fifteen summers have I seen."

"Barely more than a baby in the life of a fox spirit," commented Rei.

Usa stared at Moriko. The fox spirit wouldn't meet her gaze.

"Aunt Rei," Usa started, "can you let her go?"

"Are you nuts?" demanded Vesta.

"My Lady!" gasped Diana.

"Usa, are you sure?" Endymion leaned in and asked.

"She was too focused on her goal to think of the consequences," Usa shrugged. "Hey, I can relate. A lot of us in this room can relate. She's not evil. She just made a mistake." She turned back to Moriko. "Right?"

"Your Majesty is good and kind!" Moriko said, her voice quaking with emotion. "I have learned where I went wrong. I will trouble you no more. I will use the Ritual Of The Moon to gain what I want," and Moriko seemed to grimace some, "no matter how long it may take me. This I pledge."

With her mother looking on, beaming proudly, Usa nodded to Rei. After a moment, Rei nodded and removed the sutra. Moriko slumped with relief. After she made no sudden moves toward either the door or Usa, the senshi slumped with relief, too.

"Thank you, Majesty," Moriko said, bowing on her knees and touching her forehead to the floor before Usa. "I will leave your hearth now. I vow to you that you will never be sorry for this decision."

"Hold on," Usa stopped her. "All you wanted was to be human." The Princess smiled. "Maybe I can help with that. You know, remove the temptation?"

"Majesty?" Moriko stared, uncertain of what Usa was getting at.

"Please - - it's Usa," the Princess said gently. She turned and extended her hand to Helios. Helios was about to take her hand to merge with her into Sailor Moon, but Serenity politely interceded.

"Usa, honey," Serenity interjected, "maybe I should do this."

"Why? Are you saying I can't manage it?" huffed Usa.

"I'm saying I can manage it more easily," Serenity explained patiently. "And you're probably a little tired from everything that's happened."

Usa wanted to argue, but unfortunately for her everything her mother had said made sense.

"Fine!" Usa snorted, her shoulders hunched.

"Stand up, Moriko," Serenity smiled gently as she rose to her feet.

Timidly the fox spirit ascended to full height. The spirit stood several inches taller than the diminutive queen. Serenity cupped her hands before her chest and opened the warp in which the Silver Crystal resided. Moriko's eyes bulged, partly in fear, but also in fascination at the brilliance of the silver jewel.

"Relax. No one's going to hurt you," Serenity told her. "Now think of the kind of human you'd like to be."

Reflexively, Moriko closed her eyes to concentrate. Serenity lifted the Silver Crystal up and brought it to within a hair's width of Moriko's forehead. Then Serenity closed her eyes. The jewel flared brilliantly, engulfing the room in silvery light until nothing could be seen except that light. The effect lasted for a few moments and then died away.

Standing there where Moriko the fox spirit had been was a pretty young woman. Her eyes were copper and her hair was russet red. And she had a familiar look to her features.

"She looks like The Princess!" exclaimed Sailor Pallas.

Moriko's hands went up to her face. She felt the smooth skin, the tiny nose and the prominent cheekbones. She glanced down and found smooth skin where before there had been fur. Turning, she looked over to a mirror that Usa kept by her door and saw a human woman with long, thick russet red hair done up in rabbit ear odangos with twin trails falling down her back. Twisting around, Moriko found no sign of a tail.

"Majesty!" Moriko burst out into happy tears as she clutched Serenity. Sinking to her knees, she pressed her newly minted human face into the folds of Serenity's gown and stained it with grateful tears. But Serenity bent down and lifted her back up to her feet.

"Ah, ah," she playfully chastised Moriko. "It's Serenity, not Majesty."

"Yes! Yes! Oh thank you! Thank you for this gift! I swear to be loyal to you forever for this!"

"I'm happy to do it," Serenity beamed. Sailor Moon was off to the side and she was just as proud and happy. "But do me just one favor?"

"Anything! Name it!" cried Moriko. Serenity reached up and pulled the rabbit ear odangos loose, causing the thick russet hair to fall down Moriko's back.

"Wear your hair like this," Serenity requested. "The resemblance is a little - - too close."

"As you wish, Ma . . ." and Moriko caught herself. "Queen Serenity," she nodded, flushing.

"Good job, Mom," Usa nodded. Then she leaned in. "But I COULD have done it."

"We'll discuss it later," Serenity murmured back. Turning back to Moriko, the queen asked, "Where were you living in the palace?"

"A room in the upper level," Moriko replied tensely. "It was not used by anyone, save to store some boxes."

"Well we can't have that," Serenity replied and Moriko's face fell. "We'll just have to get you some proper quarters here."

"Majesty! Do you mean it?" gasped Moriko.

"Not if you keep calling me 'Majesty'," Serenity said through clenched teeth. The elder senshi all giggled.

"Forgive me, please!" Moriko said quickly, "S-Serenity. I would be honored to live here, if you will allow me! I pledge my life to your service and to guard this hearth! Though I have no more fox magic, I have some skills and am quite willing and able!"

"That's not a bad idea," Endymion replied. "The Palace Guard can always use another hand - - on a probationary basis. I'll take it up with Captain Masashi."

"Oh, you are all too kind to me!" wailed Moriko emotionally. "Curse me for my stupidity in ever causing you all pain! I will make it up to you all, I swear it!"

As the Royal Couple escorted Moriko out of Usa's bedroom to get her settled and the elders filtered out - - with all of them silently nodding their approval to Usa for her part in this - - Usa's friends drifted over to her and Helios.

"I'm glad she got a second chance," Jun commented. "I hope she makes the most of it."

"She will," Usa proclaimed confidently, Helios pressing into her back comfortably. The others looked at her curiously.

"How can you be so certain, Usa?" Hotaru asked her. Usa looked directly at her and smiled.

"Faith," the Princess replied. "Faith in the power of mercy." And she reached down, taking Helios's hand. Helios leaned in and pressed his cheek to hers.

* * *

A week had passed. Moriko was beginning to feel her way around the palace. Though she was new to the ways of being human, she was welcomed by the palace staff. Many of the staff took an instant liking to her. Of course, she did look like two of the staff's favorite people. What she did with that small advantage would be up to her.

In the quarters of the Asteroid Senshi, Jun had just finished her homework. She scanned the room to see what her sisters were doing. Palla-Palla was hard at work on her homework, which consisted of elementary level spelling. Try as she might, Palla-Palla could never seem to retain the knowledge when it came to spelling. She could read, but she could never translate that skill into writing. It was just one more quirk of her retardation. Yet she persisted relentlessly, trying to master the skill.

Cere, on the other hand, had minimized her homework and was reading about her favorite singing idol. Jun sighed with frustration. Sometimes she wished she could transfer the brain capacity Cere and Ves didn't use to Palla-Palla, to make up for what was denied her. The only thing that kept her from smacking her two wayward sisters was that she knew Cere and Ves would gladly transfer their unused brain capacity to Palla-Palla if they could. Life wasn't fair sometimes. But hey, at least it had allowed the four of them to meet.

Her gaze moved to Ves. Ves wasn't doing her homework - - that was expected. But she wasn't streaming the soccer match, which was unexpected. Instead, she seemed to be searching the vid-com directories.

"Ves?" Jun inquired.

"He's not here!" Ves articulated her alarm.

"Who's not there?" Cere asked.

"Carlton!"

Jun moved closer and peered over her shoulder. "What is that? The Calgary directory?" Jun asked.

"That's where he's from!" Ves barked. "But he's not here! And the agency he works for never heard of him!"

"Looks like he fed you a line to get you in bed, Ves," Cere told her.

"That bastard," murmured Ves, stunned.

"Live and learn," offered Jun.

"Live and learn Hell!" snapped Ves.

"What are you getting so worked up about? He was just a one night stand for you. You said it yourself. I guess you were just a one night stand for him, too," Cere chided her.

Angrily, Ves bolted from her chair, swatting a holder full of memory crystals up into the air. The teen stalked into her room and shut the door behind her. Jun and Cere stared after her in surprise. As they stared, Palla-Palla walked up.

"What's wrong with Ves-Ves?" Palla-Palla asked.

"I guess Carlton wasn't a one night stand after all," Cere replied.

"Or he started out as one and became more," suggested Jun.

"Palla-Palla doesn't understand."

"Um," Jun began, trying to figure out a way to make Palla-Palla comprehend, "it seems Ves liked Carlton a whole lot more than she thought she did - - but Carlton didn't like her as much as she thought he did."

"Oh," Palla-Palla said forlornly. "Poor Ves-Ves."

Inside her bedroom, Ves sat on her bed, her knees pulled up to her chin and her arms wrapped across them. She stared off into the darkness.

"He's just a guy," she chided herself. "Why am I feeling this way? He's just a guy!"

The darkness had no answers. At least, none Ves liked hearing.

* * *

In the ornate pathway leading up to the front gate of the Crystal Palace, Hotaru Tomoe waited. She checked her chronometer nervously for the fourth time in the past ten minutes. The slight girl wore a colorful - - light blue, which for her was colorful - - jacket and a billowing floral skirt, pink roses on a black background. The cold wind whistled around her hose-covered legs, but she was oblivious to it. Her eyes darted back to her chronometer, but were drawn back when the gate to the palace opened.

"Yutaka!" Hotaru exclaimed when her date emerged. He seemed a little weary from his marathon sessions with the holographic image of Dr. Krause, his instructor, but the sight of Hotaru energized him. The sight of him did more for Hotaru. She ran up to him, leaped into his arms and kissed him passionately while her shoes dangled just off the pavement.

"Hotaru would just die if she knew we were watching her," remarked Usa. She and Helios were sitting snuggled on a bench partially obscured from the gate by bushes and trees. She wore a brown jacket, a tight red skirt cut high on the thigh and heavy pink leggings. "She sure seems to like Yutaka, though."

"Perhaps we should stop observing her," suggested Helios.

"You're no fun," Usa playfully chided him. But the pair got up and, hand in hand, strolled through the dense, ornate foliage that decorated the grounds around the palace.

"Your homework?" Helios asked.

"Done," Usa answered.

"And your self-assigned research into every corner of knowledge in existence?" Helios asked, with just a touch of satire. Usa glanced at him, acknowledging the velvet-covered jab.

"On hold - - for the night," she replied with a wry smirk. "I've come to find out that there are other things that are just as important as being prepared for every possible situation. Snuggling with a cute Dream Guardian is one." She glanced maliciously back at Helios. "You wouldn't happen to know where I could find one, would you?"

"Touche, Maiden," Helios replied in good humor. "You will, perhaps, be heartened to know that all of your suffering has not been in vain. You have grown spiritually from this. The manner in which you handled the fox spirit Moriko is testament to that."

"Yeah, I guess," Usa shrugged. "Maybe it's just me, but it didn't seem like that hard a decision." Usa gulped. "It's a good thing you talked me out of killing her."

"You are still human, Maiden," Helios told her. "You are permitted to know fear, so long as you do not allow your fear to rule your actions. And your actions afterward do you much credit."

"She seemed worthy of my faith," Usa replied.

"A judgment shared by your mother," Helios reminded her. "And one not shared by many others in the room. Your faith in her essential goodness, in your strength and in the support of those around you made the best of a potentially bad situation." His hand squeezed tighter. "And you have once again justified my faith in you."

"Ooh, I get the shivers when you talk like that," Usa grinned. She stopped, swung around to face Helios and draped her arms around his neck. "Want to have your way with me?"

"Here?" Helios asked, bemused.

"I don't care who sees us."

"The King and Queen might," he reminded her.

Usa leaned in and kissed Helios.

"I dare you to say that again," Usa whispered.

"You make it difficult," Helios breathed back.

"Good," Usa grinned saucily. Helios pinched her bottom.

"Behave," Helios told her gently as she jumped and squealed with alarm.

Usa sighed. "When I'm queen, I'm going to abolish rules. OK, want to find some place where we can enjoy an intimate dinner without being recognized?"

"In Crystal Tokyo? I would love it, but is it possible? You are quite famous."

"Won't know until we try," Usa smirked. A smile dawned on the face of her guy.

"Lead the way, Maiden," he said. "I have faith that you will succeed."

THE END


End file.
